Hexarea

Geometry Level 2

In the diagram above each of the squares have side length of 3 cm. The area of the hexagon can be expressed in the form of a + b c a + b \sqrt{c} cm 2 ^2 , where a, b and c are all positive integers and c is a prime number.

What is the value of a b c a - bc ?


The answer is 0.

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2 solutions

Sean Ty
Jun 21, 2014

The area of the equilateral triangle is 9 3 4 c m 2 \frac{9\sqrt{3}}{4}cm^{2}

The area of the three squares is 3 × 9 c m 2 3\times9cm^{2} = 27 c m 2 27cm^{2} .

The area of the two isosceles triangles is 3 × 3 × sin 120 º 2 \frac{3\times3\times\sin120º}{2} = 27 3 4 c m 2 \frac{27\sqrt{3}}{4}cm^{2} .

Their total area is 27 + 9 3 27+9\sqrt{3} = a + b c a+b\sqrt{c} .

a=27

b=9

c=3

And a - bc= 27 3 × 3 27-3\times3 = 0 \boxed{0} .

Let x x be the area of each external triangle, y y be the area of each square, and z z be the area of the hexagon. Then

3 x = 3 ( 1 2 ( 3 ) ( 3 ) sin 120 ) = 27 2 ( 3 2 ) = 27 4 3 3x=3\left(\dfrac{1}{2}(3)(3)\sin~120\right)=\dfrac{27}{2}\left(\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right)=\dfrac{27}{4}\sqrt{3}

3 y = 3 ( 3 2 ) = 27 3y=3(3^2)=27

z = 3 4 ( 3 ) ( 3 ) = 9 4 3 z=\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(3)(3)=\dfrac{9}{4}\sqrt{3}

The area of the hexagon is therefore,

3 x + 2 y + z = 27 4 3 + 27 + 9 4 3 = 27 + 9 3 3x+2y+z=\dfrac{27}{4}\sqrt{3}+27+\dfrac{9}{4}\sqrt{3}=27+9\sqrt{3}

Finally, the desired answer is

a b c = 27 ( 9 ) ( 3 ) = 27 27 = a-bc=27-(9)(3)=27-27= 0 \boxed{0}

This is my own solution using my old account. I am using a new account now.

A Former Brilliant Member - 1 year, 5 months ago

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