Do you remember this theorem?

Geometry Level 1

In the figure, A P AP is tangent to the circle centered at O O , A B = B C , AB=BC, and A P = 3 2 AP=3\sqrt{2} . Find the length of A C AC .


The answer is 6.

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5 solutions

Relevant wiki: Power of a Point

By the power of a point , we have

( A P ) 2 = ( A B ) ( A C ) (AP)^2=(AB)(AC)

Substituting, we get

( 3 2 ) 2 = ( A B ) ( A C ) (3\sqrt{2})^2=(AB)(AC)

However, A B = B C AB=BC , therefore, A C = 2 A B AC=2AB , so

9 ( 2 ) = ( A B ) ( 2 A B ) 9(2)=(AB)(2AB)

18 = 2 ( A B ) 2 18=2(AB)^2

9 = ( A B ) 2 9=(AB)^2

3 = A B 3=AB

Finally,

A C = 2 A B = 2 ( 3 ) = AC=2AB=2(3)= 6 \boxed{6}

Good solution!

Paola Ramírez - 3 years, 12 months ago

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Thank you . . ..

A Former Brilliant Member - 3 years, 12 months ago

Thank you. A former brilliant member? That is me, I deleted my old account and created a new one.

A Former Brilliant Member - 1 year, 4 months ago

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Ojasw Upadhyay - 10 months ago
Paola Ramírez
Jul 30, 2015

Let be A B = x AB=x and A C = 2 x AC=2x

By power of a point

A P 2 = A B A C AP^2=AB\cdot AC

( 3 2 ) 2 = 2 x x x 2 = 9 x = 3 (3\sqrt{2})^2=2x\cdot x\Rightarrow x^2=9 \Rightarrow x=3

A C = 6 \therefore \boxed{AC=6}

By the power of a point,

( P A ) 2 = ( A B ) ( A C ) (PA)^2=(AB)(AC)

( 3 2 ) 2 = A B ( 2 A B ) (3\sqrt{2})^2=AB(2AB)

A B = 3 AB=3

Therefore, A C = 6 AC=6 .

This can be found on Euclid's Elements: Book 3: Proposition 36.

By the power of a point, we have

( A P ) 2 = ( A C ) ( A B ) (AP)^2=(AC)(AB)

( 3 2 ) 2 = ( A B + A B ) ( A B ) (3\sqrt{2})^2=(AB+AB)(AB)

18 = 2 ( A B ) 2 18=2(AB)^2

9 = ( A B ) 2 9=(AB)^2

3 = A B 3=AB

It follows that A C = 3 + 3 = 6 AC=3+3=\boxed{6}

Keshav Ramesh
Apr 4, 2017

We know by Power of a Point that (in this case): A C A B = A P 2 AC\cdot AB=AP^2 . If A P = 3 2 AP=3\sqrt{2} , then A P 2 = 18 AP^2=18 . We now know that A C A B = 18 AC\cdot AB=18 . Let's set length A B = y AB=y and A C = 2 y AC=2y since A B = B C AB=BC Now we can form an equation and solve for y y :

2 y 2 = 18 2y^2=18

y 2 = 9 y^2=9

y = 3 y=3 .

We know that y = 3 y=3 works, so multiplying A C A B AC\cdot AB gives us 6 3 = 18 6\cdot 3=18 , so length A C = 6 AC=6

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