The diagram below shows a series of 2019 squares with side lengths of 1 where:
(Diagram not drawn to scale)
Evaluate the following in degrees.
+
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First let's solve ∠ B A 2 A 1 + ∠ B A 3 A 2 + ∠ B A 4 A 3 .
We know ∠ B A 2 A 1 = 4 5 ∘ , since ∠ B A 1 A 2 = 9 0 ∘ and A 1 B = A 1 A 2 = 1 .
In △ B A 2 A 3 and △ B A 4 A 2 :
B A 2 = 2 , A 2 A 4 = 2
∵ B A 2 A 2 A 3 = A 2 A 4 B A 2 = 2 1
∠ B A 2 A 3 = ∠ A 4 A 2 B
∴ △ B A 2 A 3 ∼ △ A 4 B A 2 ( S A S )
∴ ∠ B A 4 A 3 = ∠ A 3 B A 2
∴ ∠ B A 3 A 2 + ∠ B A 4 A 3 = ∠ B A 3 A 2 + ∠ A 3 B A 2 = ∠ B A 1 A 2 = 4 5 ∘
What pattern are we trying to prove?
You'll find that △ B A 2 C n ∼ △ A n + 4 A 2 B and here's why:
In △ B A 2 C n and △ B A 2 A n + 4 :
A 2 C n = A 2 A 3 − A 3 C n = 1 − n + 2 n = n + 2 2
A 2 A n + 4 = n + 4 − 2 = n + 2
∵ A 2 C n ⋅ A 2 A n + 4 = n + 2 2 ⋅ ( n + 2 ) = 2 = 2 ⋅ 2 = B A 2 2
∠ B A 2 C n = ∠ A n + 4 A 2 B
∴ B A 2 A 2 C n = A 2 A n + 4 B A 2
∴ △ B A 2 C n ∼ △ A n + 4 A 2 B
∴ ∠ B A n + 4 A 2 = ∠ C n B A 2
∴ ∠ B C n A 2 + ∠ B A n + 4 A 2 = ∠ B C n A 2 + C n B A 2 = ∠ B A 2 A 1 = 4 5 ∘
You'll notice that this actually is what the question is constructed of:
We have already proven that ∠ B A 2 A 1 + ∠ B A 3 A 2 + ∠ B A 4 A 3 = 9 0 ∘
We also have the formula ∠ B C n A 2 + ∠ B A n + 4 A 2 = 4 5 ∘
The rest can be rearranged to get ( ∠ B C 1 A 2 + ∠ B A 5 A 2 ) + . . . . . . + ( ∠ B C 2 0 1 6 A 2 + ∠ B A 2 0 2 0 A 2 ) = ( 4 5 × 2 0 1 6 ) ∘ = 9 0 7 2 0 ∘ .
Then adding the previous 9 0 ∘ we get to our final answer:
9 0 7 2 0 ∘ + 9 0 ∘ = 9 0 8 1 0 ∘