Partially Inscribed Triangle

Geometry Level 3

Triangle A B C ABC has vertices B B and C C on a semicircle centered at O , O, as shown, with A B AB tangent to the semicircle at B B and A C AC intersecting the semicircle at point D . D.

If B A C = 7 8 \angle BAC = 78 ^\circ (in red) and O D C = 7 4 \angle ODC = 74 ^\circ (in green), what is the measure of B C A \angle BCA (in blue) in degrees?

Note: The figure is not drawn to scale.


The answer is 43.

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2 solutions

Kelvin Hong
Jun 6, 2018

Construct a radius B O BO then it says B O D = 2 B C D \angle BOD = 2\angle BCD , here denotes as B C D = x , B O D = 2 x \angle BCD = x, \angle BOD = 2x .

Then easily found that A D O = 10 6 \angle ADO=106^\circ , and A B O = 9 0 \angle ABO=90^\circ , then using the sum of internal angle of quadrilateral gives us 9 0 + 7 8 + 10 6 + 2 x = 36 0 x = 4 3 90^\circ+78^\circ+106^\circ+2x=360^\circ\longrightarrow x=\boxed{43^\circ} .

How did you get 2x?

Jason Dsouza - 2 years, 7 months ago

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Look up inscribed angle theorem!

Akshay Krishna - 2 years, 7 months ago

angle subtended at the center is 2x. see as whole circle

Srinivas Kumar - 1 year, 7 months ago

We will begin by drawing the chord B C BC and another tangent from D D to meet the original tangent A B AB at point E E .

According to the Alternate Segment Theorem , A B D = B C A = x \angle ABD = \angle BCA = x , as shown in blue.

Also, by Alternate Segment Theorem , E D B = B C A = x \angle EDB = \angle BCA = x , regarding E D ED as the tangent.

Alternatively, since the lengths of tangents of external point are equal, B E = E D BE = ED , making B E D BED an isosceles triangle, and so E D B = B C A = x \angle EDB = \angle BCA = x .

Then because the radius O D OD is perpendicular to D E DE , B D O = 9 0 x \angle BDO = 90^\circ - x .

We can then summarize the equation:

B A D + A B D = B D O + O D C \angle BAD + \angle ABD = \angle BDO + \angle ODC

78 + x = ( 90 x ) + 74 78 + x = (90 - x) + 74

2 x = 90 + 74 78 = 86 2x = 90 + 74 - 78 = 86

Thus, x = 4 3 x = \boxed{43 ^\circ} .

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