Cool bisector

Geometry Level 3

In A B C \triangle ABC , B = 9 0 \angle B = 90 ^ \circ , A B = 3 , AB=3, and B C = 4 BC=4 .

B D BD is the bisector of A B C , \angle ABC, and E A = B D EA=BD .

Find the area of E A B . \triangle EAB.


The answer is 2.91.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

6 solutions

Paola Ramírez
Feb 26, 2015

First we have to find the measurement of B D BD

Let A B = a , B C = b , A C = c , D C = x AB=a, BC=b, AC=c, DC=x and B D = y BD=y

By angle bisector theorem

a b = c x x \frac{a}{b}=\frac{c-x}{x} \Rightarrow a x = b c b x ax=bc-bx so x = b c a + b x=\frac{bc}{a+b}

Then by law of sines

b c a + b sin 45 ° = y sin C \frac{\frac{bc}{a+b}}{ \sin 45°}=\frac{y}{ \sin \angle C}

y = b c a + b sin 45 ° × sin C y=\frac{\frac{bc}{a+b}}{ \sin 45°}\times \sin \angle C

y = b c a + b sin 45 ° × a c y=\frac{\frac{bc}{a+b}}{ \sin 45°}\times \frac{a}{c}

y = a b ( a + b ) sin 45 ° \boxed{y=\frac{ab}{(a+b) \sin45°}} this is the bisector's length of in any rectangle triangle.

Second we have to find the area

Area of E A B = 1 2 a y sin ( 180 A ) \triangle EAB=\frac{1}{2} ay \sin (180-A) but sin ( 180 A ) = sin A \sin (180-A)= \sin A

Area of E A B = 1 2 a b ( a + b ) sin 45 ° sin ( A ) \triangle EAB=\frac{1}{2} \frac{ab}{(a+b) \sin45°} \sin (A)

Area of E A B = 1 2 × 12 ( 7 ) sin 45 ° × 4 5 \triangle EAB=\frac{1}{2} \times \frac{12}{(7) \sin45°} \times \frac{4}{5}

Area of E A B = 72 2 35 2.91 \triangle EAB=\boxed{\frac{72 \sqrt{2}}{35} \approx 2.91}

I'm getting a different answer, although it was close enough to be considered correct.

First, by similarity, we have that 3 5 = B D 4 B D = 12 5 . \dfrac{3}{5} = \dfrac{|BD|}{4} \Longrightarrow |BD| = \dfrac{12}{5}.

Next, we have that the area of Δ E A B \Delta EAB is

1 2 ( A B ) ( E A ) sin ( B A C ) = 1 2 ( 3 ) ( 12 5 ) ( 4 5 ) = 72 25 = 2.88. \dfrac{1}{2}(|AB|)(|EA|)\sin(\angle BAC) = \dfrac{1}{2}(3)(\dfrac{12}{5})(\dfrac{4}{5}) = \dfrac{72}{25} = 2.88.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

A D B \angle ADB is not 90 ° 90° maybe this was the little mistake

Paola Ramírez - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

Ah, o.k., my mistake. That makes the problem more difficult. I'm lucky it was close to 9 0 90^{\circ} so that my answer was close enough to 2.91 2.91 to be accepted as "correct", even though my approach was wrong. Nice problem. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth Excuse me sir! , I misunderstand the comment. I do not consider someone were to make a solution for similarity, maybe I was neglected with this kind of solutions

Paola Ramírez - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Paola Ramírez Your approach is correct, and mine is incorrect, but the way it works with real-valued answers on Brilliant is that if one's answer is within a certain percentage of the posted answer then it is given credit as being "correct", even if the method used was flawed. So in this case I was just fortunate, that's all. What might have worked better is to have asked at the end something like, "if the area of Δ E A B = a b c , \Delta EAB = \dfrac{a\sqrt{b}}{c}, where a , c a,c are coprime and b b is square-free, then find a + b + c . a + b + c. " Then the answer would be 109 109 , and an approach like mine, i.e., based on a wrong assumption, would not then have yielded a solution that was considered correct.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

@Brian Charlesworth Hey its not ur mistake.the answer is exactly 2.88 and not 2.91. Becoz its the property of similar triangles that by default angle BDA will be 90..as AD is an angular bisector of angle BAC..

Rajath Naik - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Rajath Naik Paola is correct; B D A \angle BDA is not a right angle. It is actually

18 0 4 5 arctan ( 4 3 ) = 81.8 7 180^{\circ} - 45^{\circ} - \arctan(\frac{4}{3}) = 81.87^{\circ}

to 2 decimal places, which is quite far off being a right angle, but because sin ( 81.8 7 ) = 0.99 \sin(81.87^{\circ}) = 0.99 to 2 decimal places, i.e., very close to 1 1 , when the area calculation is made the answer using my incorrect method ended up being nearly identical to Paola's exact value.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth Well thanks..I guess I was wrong then, gotta rethink.

Rajath Naik - 6 years, 3 months ago

@Rajath Naik If B D A = 90 BDA = 90 then , Δ A B C \Delta ABC will be a 45 - 45 - 90 triangle , which is a special case.

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 3 months ago

Nice👍👍👏👏😊😊

TRIPTEE RANI - 7 months, 1 week ago
Nihar Mahajan
Mar 6, 2015

All I did was B F A C a n d D G B C BF \perp AC \quad and \quad DG \perp BC

Thus [ E A B ] = ( A E ) ( B F ) 2 = ( 12 2 7 ) ( 12 5 ) 2 = 72 2 35 2.909 2.91 [ EAB ] = \dfrac{(AE)(BF)}{2} = \dfrac{\left(\dfrac{12\sqrt{2}}{7}\right)\left(\dfrac{12}{5}\right)}{2} = \dfrac{72\sqrt{2}}{35} \approx 2.909 \approx 2.91

Great answer 👏

TRIPTEE RANI - 7 months, 1 week ago
Feathery Studio
Feb 28, 2015

I have no idea how sines work so I used this to get 2.88:

I assumed angle B D A BDA was a right angle. With the pythagorean theorem, we get a 2 + b 2 = c 2 a^2+b^2=c^2 Substituting... ( 3 ) 2 + ( 4 ) 2 = c 2 (3)^2+(4)^2=c^2 , 9 + 16 = c 2 9+16=c^2 , 25 = c 2 25=c^2 , 5 = c 5=c

Area of Δ A B C = ( 3 ) ( 4 ) 2 = 6 ΔABC = \frac{(3)(4)}{2} = 6

Let's call the length of line B D BD x 'x' . Then 5 x 2 = 6 \frac{5x}{2}=6 ... x = ( 12 / 5 ) = 2.4 x=(12/5)=2.4

Now, since we know that E A = B D EA=BD , E A = 2.4 EA=2.4 . I'll call the length of line E A EA y 'y' .

And finally, we find the area of Δ E B C + Δ A B C ΔEBC + ΔABC : ( 5 + y ) ( 2.4 ) 2 = ( 5 + ( 2.4 ) ) ( 2.4 ) 2 = ( 7.4 ) ( 2.4 ) 2 = 17.76 2 = 8.88 \frac{(5+y)(2.4)}{2} = \frac{(5+(2.4))(2.4)}{2} = \frac{(7.4)(2.4)}{2} = \frac{17.76}{2}=8.88

Subtract the area of Δ A B C ΔABC for Δ E A B EAB :

8.88 6 = 2.88 8.88-6=\boxed{2.88}

Sometimes, we just have to brute force through...

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 3 months ago

l e t x = A D a n d y = D C . α = B D A , B F A C , F o n A C . 3 2 + 4 2 = 5 = A C = x + y . B i s e c t o r T h e o r e m : x 3 = y 4 = 5 x 4 , x = 15 7 , a n d y = 5 x = 20 7 . B F = 3 S i n B A C = 3 4 5 = 12 5 . A E = B D = 3 4 x y = 12 300 49 A r e a Δ E A B = 1 2 A E B F = 2.909 let ~x=AD ~ and ~ y=DC.~~~\alpha=\angle BDA,~~~BF\perp AC ,~ F~on~AC. \\ \sqrt{3^2+4^2}=\color{#3D99F6}{5=AC=x+y.}\\ Bisector~ Theorem:- \dfrac x 3=\dfrac y 4=\dfrac {5 - x}4, ~~\therefore x=\dfrac{15} 7,~~and~~y=5 - x=\dfrac {20} 7.\\ \color{#3D99F6}{BF= 3*SinBAC=3*\dfrac 4 5=\dfrac{12} 5}.\\ \color{#3D99F6}{AE=BD=\sqrt{3*4 - x*y}=\sqrt{12 - \dfrac{300}{49} } }\\ Area~\Delta EAB=\frac 1 2 *AE*BF = \Large~~~\color{#D61F06}{2.909}

l e t x = A D a n d y = D C . α = B D A 3 2 + 4 2 = 5 = A C = x + y . A p p . S i n e R u l e : x S i n 45 = 3 S i n α , y S i n 45 = 4 S i n ( 180 α ) . A d d i n g t h e t w o e q u a t i o n s S i n α = 7 5 2 . A p p . S i n e R u l e : x S i n 45 = 3 S i n α , x = 15 7 , a n d y = 5 x = 20 7 . let ~x=AD ~ and ~ y=DC.~~~\alpha=\angle BDA \\ \sqrt{3^2+4^2}=\color{#3D99F6}{5=AC=x+y.}\\ App. ~Sine~ Rule~:-~~\dfrac x {Sin45}=\dfrac 3 {Sin\alpha},~~~\dfrac y {Sin45}=\dfrac 4 {Sin(180 - \alpha)}.\\ Adding~the ~ two ~ equations ~ Sin\alpha=\dfrac 7 {5*\sqrt 2}.\\ App. ~Sine~ Rule~:- ~ \dfrac x {Sin45}=\dfrac 3 {Sin\alpha},~~~\therefore~ x=\dfrac{15} 7,~~and~~y=5 - x=\dfrac {20} 7.\\ B i s e c t o r T h e o r e m : A E = B D = 3 4 x y = 12 300 49 . Bisector~ Theorem:- \color{#3D99F6}{ AE=BD=\sqrt{3*4 - x*y}=\sqrt{12 - \dfrac{300}{49}} }.\\ L e t B F A C N o t e : B F A C , B A : A F : B F : : 5 : 3 : 4 I n r t . d Δ A B C , B F A C , B F E A , = 3 5 4 = 12 5 . A r e a Δ E A B = 1 2 A E B F = 2.909 Let~BF\perp AC ~~~~~~~~~~Note:- BF\perp AC , BA:AF:BF::5:3:4 \\ In~ rt.~\angle d~\Delta ABC,~ BF\perp AC,~\implies BF\perp~EA,=\dfrac 3 5 *4=\dfrac{12} 5.\\ Area~\Delta EAB=\frac 1 2 *AE*BF = \Large~~~\color{#D61F06}{2.909}

l e t x = A D a n d y = D C . α = B D A , B F A C , F o n A C . 3 2 + 4 2 = 5 = A C = x + y . B i s e c t o r T h e o r e m : x 3 = y 4 = 5 x 4 , x = 15 7 , a n d y = 5 x = 20 7 . B F = 3 S i n B A C = 3 4 5 = 12 5 . A E = B D = 3 4 x y = 12 300 49 A r e a Δ E A B = 1 2 A E B F = 2.909 let ~x=AD ~ and ~ y=DC.~~~\alpha=\angle BDA,~~~BF\perp AC ,~ F~on~AC. \\ \sqrt{3^2+4^2}=\color{#3D99F6}{5=AC=x+y.}\\ Bisector~ Theorem:- \dfrac x 3=\dfrac y 4=\dfrac {5 - x}4, ~~\therefore x=\dfrac{15} 7,~~and~~y=5 - x=\dfrac {20} 7.\\ \color{#3D99F6}{BF= 3*SinBAC=3*\dfrac 4 5=\dfrac{12} 5}.\\ \color{#3D99F6}{AE=BD=\sqrt{3*4 - x*y}=\sqrt{12 - \dfrac{300}{49} } }\\ Area~\Delta EAB=\frac 1 2 *AE*BF = \Large~~~\color{#D61F06}{2.909}

Niranjan Khanderia - 5 years, 6 months ago
Hobart Pao
Mar 28, 2015

I used the angle bisector theorem and triangle similarity. I extended line BA and drew a line from point E such that it is perpendicular to extended line BA. Let the point of intersection of those two aforementioned lines be X. To find the area, we are already given the "base" of triangle EAB, which is 3, so we just need the value of line EX. We already know that via pythagorean theorem, AC= 5.Use a x = b y \frac{a}{x} = \frac{b}{y} and the previous information to obtain the values of AD and DC (system of equations).Then plug into e 2 = a b x y e^{2}=ab-xy to get e (which is DB). Since DB=EA, use triangle similarity to obtain the value of EX. Then use area of triangle to get the final answer.

Guiseppi Butel
Feb 27, 2015

It seems that some other parameter must be assigned a value.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

What's a rentangle?

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

she means that Δ A B C \Delta ABC is right angled at B . \angle B. So essentially a "rectangular" triangle is a right triangle.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth Then you were correct with your first solution?

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Guiseppi Butel No, I was mistaken; I didn't read the question carefully the first time. Since B D BD is a bisector of B \angle B we have A B D = 4 5 \angle ABD = 45^{\circ} , but since B A D = arctan ( 4 3 ) = 53.1 3 \angle BAD = \arctan(\frac{4}{3}) = 53.13^{\circ} we end up with B D A = 13 5 arctan ( 4 3 ) = 81.8 7 \angle BDA = 135^{\circ} - \arctan(\frac{4}{3}) = 81.87^{\circ} , i.e., not a right angle. From here, using the Sine law, we would then have

sin ( B D A ) A B = sin ( B A D ) B D \dfrac{\sin(\angle BDA)}{|AB|} = \dfrac{\sin(\angle BAD)}{|BD|}

B D = 3 sin ( arctan ( 4 3 ) ) sin ( 13 5 arctan ( 4 3 ) ) = 3 4 5 12 2 7 = 12 2 7 . \Longrightarrow |BD| = \dfrac{3*\sin(\arctan(\frac{4}{3}))}{\sin(135^{\circ} - \arctan(\frac{4}{3}))} = \dfrac{3*\frac{4}{5}}{\frac{12*\sqrt{2}}{7}} = \dfrac{12\sqrt{2}}{7}.

So using this value for E A = B D |EA| = |BD| , the area of Δ E A B \Delta EAB is

1 2 ( 3 ) ( 12 2 7 ) ( 4 5 ) = 72 2 35 , \dfrac{1}{2}(3)(\dfrac{12\sqrt{2}}{7})(\dfrac{4}{5}) = \dfrac{72\sqrt{2}}{35},

in exact agreement with Paola's solution.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth See my solution using pure geometry.

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Nihar Mahajan Really nice solution, Nihar; well-deserving of an upvote. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth Thanks a lot!!

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 3 months ago

@Brian Charlesworth Thanks, I guess I had misread the discussion. I thought that Paola was saying that ABC wasn't a right angle.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Guiseppi Butel Ah, o.k.. I guess that there is the making for another question, i.e., rather than having A B C \angle ABC be a right angle, make it some other angle, say 7 5 75^{\circ} , and keep the rest of the question the same as Paola's. Then the solution would involve an extra couple of steps in order to find B A C . \angle BAC.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

@Guiseppi Butel Hi Guiseppi. I just noticed your new question based on this one, and have one concern. If B \angle B is 9 0 90^{\circ} then the area of Δ A B C \Delta ABC is necessarily 6. 6. The question will work only if the condition that B \angle B is a right angle is removed; then it will be a great problem. :)

P.S.. I didn't want to formally dispute the question so I took this route, but I did notice that there was one dispute already, so I suspect that it raises the same issue as addressed here.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Brian Charlesworth Thanks for the heads-up, Brian.

I have edited that parameter in the problem.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 3 months ago

Log in to reply

@Guiseppi Butel Great. I've now tried the problem and finally found the right answer after 3 attempts, (misread of what was being asked for on the first attempt, miscalculation on the second). I've written up an answer that relied heavily on a really useful but somewhat obscure formula, (there was already an answer posted so I chose to present an alternative approach). Thanks for posting the problem. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 3 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...