Beauty Square

Geometry Level 1

Let A , P , Q A,P,Q and R R points on the circumference with C C as center, A B C D ABCD a square, B B and D D on P R PR , and C C on Q R QR . Find P Q R \angle PQR (in degrees).


The answer is 60.

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7 solutions

Paola Ramírez
Feb 6, 2015

Let O O the point of interseccion between A C AC and D B DB .

We have that A O R = R O C = 90 ° \angle AOR=\angle ROC=90° \therefore A R C \triangle ARC is isosceles with A R = R C AR=RC , but A C = R C AC=RC because both are radius of the circumference. So A R C \triangle ARC is equilateral P R Q = 30 ° \Rightarrow \angle PRQ=30° and R P Q = 90 ° P Q R = 60 ° \angle RPQ=90° \therefore \boxed{\angle PQR=60°} .

or CO = 1/2 PQ and CO =1/2CA so PQ=CQ=CP and required angle =60 Nice problem

Des O Carroll - 6 years, 4 months ago

Nice problem.... I also solved almost the sme way

tanmay goyal - 6 years, 4 months ago

I solved this using trigonometry.

A Former Brilliant Member - 1 year, 5 months ago

Just by analyzing the picture,

If we draw line the diagonal AC of the square, we see is equal to the radius R and is parallel to PQ since the other diagonal is contain in PR.

Then segments AC=CQ=QP =PA all are equal to radius R forming a rhombus which diagonal equal to CP= R so our rhombus is formed by to equilateral triangles then angle PQR must equal to 60 degrees.

Shariful Islam
Feb 8, 2015

sin PQR = cosPRQ =PR / QR Either PQR = 30 and PRQ = 60 or vice versa or both = 45° we assume that PRQ = 60° as BD bisects angle ADC the angle BDC =45° and angle RDC = 135° So in the triangle CRD sum of angle RDC and angle DRC is equal to 135 + 60 = 195 but it is impossible for the same reason PRQ can't be equal to 45° so PRQ has to be equal to 30 and PQR=90-30=60 °

Nice solution shariful....

Hiren Patel - 6 years, 2 months ago

How come you know that these are the only possibilities.

Prayas Rautray - 3 years, 10 months ago

On any right triangle the sine of one angle is equal to the cosine of the opposite angle simply by definition of sine & cosine (opposite/adjacent over hypotenuse respectively). The side that is opposite for one angle becomes the adjacent side for the opposite angle.

Therefore you can not restringe your angles to 30/60 or 45/45 degrees. Any pair of angles is possible (Eg.: sin(90)=cos(0)). Am I missing something?

P S - 2 years, 7 months ago
Ananya Dm
Dec 14, 2020

If we join AC, O is the point of intersection of the diagonals AC and BD, then, OC= 1/2 AC (OR) 1/2 (radius). So in triangle ORC, sin r = 1/2 or 30 degrees. So, the answer is 60 degrees.

Anthony Cutler
Sep 23, 2017

Applying the sin rule to the triangle RBC gives sin R = (BC sin B)/RC = (BC/AC) sin 45 = 1/2. So R is 30. We know P is 90 as RQ is a diameter, so Q is 60.

Stewart Gordon
Mar 15, 2016

If you rotate the figure so that A C AC is vertical, you might find it easier to visualise.

It can readily be seen that A C AC is a line of symmetry of the figure, ignoring Q Q and the line segments connected to it for the moment. As such, A C AC is a perpendicular bisector of R P RP .

Let X X be the centre of the square. Obviously X X lies on both A C AC and R P RP . Let Y Y be the point opposite A A on the circle.

By the intersecting chord formula, A X . X Y = R X . X P AX.XY = RX.XP . If we take the radius of the circle to be 1, then this gives 1 2 . 3 2 = R X . X P \frac12 . \frac32 = RX.XP . But X X bisects R P RP , therefore 3 4 = R X 2 R X = 3 2 R P = 3 \frac34 = RX^2 \Rightarrow RX = \frac{\sqrt3}2 \Rightarrow RP = \sqrt3 .

R P Q = 90 ° \angle RPQ = 90° since it's an angle in a semicircle. Hence A C P Q AC \parallel PQ , and we can see that P Q R PQR is half of the circle's inscribed rectangle, leading to P Q = 2 X C = A C = 1 PQ = 2XC = AC = 1 . You might recognise P Q = 1 PQ = 1 and R P = 3 RP = \sqrt3 as the sides of a 90°/60°/30° triangle, hence P Q R = 60 ° \angle PQR = \boxed{60°} .

龍 火
Feb 15, 2015

Actually that square is useless. As angle PCQ=angle PQC and= 2PRQ by (angle at centre twice angle at circumference) then you can solve angle PQR=60degrees

It’s not obvious to me why angle PCQ = angle PQC.

Anthony Cutler - 3 years, 8 months ago

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Only that “useless” square makes it so.

Jasper Bear - 3 years, 5 months ago

IN ACAD THE SQUARE IS NEEDED

FREDERICK ROSE - 2 years, 8 months ago

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