Such Triangle

Geometry Level 5

Isosceles triangle ABC has a right angle at C. Point P is somewhere inside ABC such that PA=11, PB=7, and PC=6. Legs AC and BC have length s= a + b 2 \sqrt{a+b\sqrt2} . Find a+b.

  • This problem is taken from a reviewer given to me. I take no credit.


The answer is 127.

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3 solutions

Daniel Liu
Jul 8, 2014

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Rotate A B C \triangle ABC about point C C to get B B C \triangle BB'C .

Point P P is also mapped to point P P' .

Connect P P PP' ; note that C P = C P CP=CP' . Also, P C P = 9 0 \angle PCP'=90^{\circ}

Thus, P P = 6 2 + 6 2 = 6 2 PP'=\sqrt{6^2+6^2}=6\sqrt{2} .

Now, notice that B P P \triangle BPP' is right, in particular, B P P = 9 0 \angle BPP'=90^{\circ} because ( 6 2 ) 2 + ( 7 ) 2 = ( 11 ) 2 (6\sqrt{2})^2+(7)^2=(11)^2 .

Thus, B P C = 4 5 + 9 0 = 13 5 \angle BPC=45^{\circ}+90^{\circ}=135^{\circ} .

Now using LoC on B P C \triangle BPC wrt B P C \angle BPC , we see that s 2 = 6 2 + 7 2 2 6 7 cos 13 5 = 85 + 42 2 s^2=6^2+7^2-2\cdot 6\cdot 7\cdot \cos 135^{\circ}=85+42\sqrt{2} .

Thus, s = 85 + 42 2 s=\sqrt{85+42\sqrt{2}} and our answer is 85 + 42 = 127 85+42=\boxed{127} .

@Sean Ty A little cleverer than your intended solution.

Daniel Liu - 6 years, 11 months ago

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Yep, well at least I learned something new today.

May I ask? How do you post a picture on a comment?

Sean Ty - 6 years, 10 months ago

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LOL. My solution was a lot of vector bashing, using Mathematica to solve a nasty trig system of equations, and finally applying law of cosines. I think I spent about 6 hours on this ;pppp

Ilya Andreev - 6 years, 9 months ago
Ajit Athle
Jun 20, 2014

Let B, A & P be (a,0), (0,a) & (x,y) resply. Then (a-x)^2+y^2=49, x^2+(y-a)^2=121, x^2+y^2=36 which can be solved simultaneously to obtain a=(85+42(2)^(1/2))^(1/2) or a+b =85 +42 =127

My solution was rotating the triangle 90 degrees counterclockwise about C, applying law of cosines several times. But I guess this works as well :) I won't be posting it because it needs a figure drawn for you to understand.

Sean Ty - 6 years, 11 months ago
Pranjal Jain
Mar 3, 2015

Just putting One Top 's solution in better way.


Let point C , A , B , P C,A,B,P be ( 0 , 0 ) , ( 0 , a ) , ( a , 0 ) , ( x , y ) (0,0),(0,a),(a,0),(x,y) respectively.

Now we have following equations:

  • x 2 + y 2 = 6 2 x^2+y^2=6^2
  • ( x a ) 2 + y 2 = 7 2 (x-a)^2+y^2=7^2
  • x 2 + ( y a ) 2 = 1 1 2 x^2+(y-a)^2=11^2

Starting with 2nd equation, x 2 2 a x + a 2 + y 2 = 49 a 2 13 = 2 a x x = a 2 13 2 a x^2-2ax+a^2+y^2=49\Rightarrow a^2-13=2ax\\\Rightarrow x=\dfrac{a^2-13}{2a}

Moving to 3rd equation, x 2 + y 2 2 a y + a 2 = 121 a 2 85 = 2 a y y = a 2 85 2 a x^2+y^2-2ay+a^2=121\Rightarrow a^2-85=2ay\\\Rightarrow y=\dfrac{a^2-85}{2a}

Substituting x x and y y in first equation,

( a 2 13 ) 2 + ( a 2 85 ) 2 4 a 2 = 36 \dfrac{(a^2-13)^2+(a^2-85)^2}{4a^2}=36

Bash bash bash

a 4 170 a 2 + 3697 = 0 a 2 = 85 ± 3528 = 85 ± 42 2 a^4-170a^2+3697=0\Rightarrow a^2=85\pm\sqrt{3528}=85\pm 42\sqrt{2}

85 + 42 = 127 85+42=\boxed{127}

Any idea why we ignored 85 42 2 85-42\sqrt{2} ?

Pranjal Jain - 6 years, 3 months ago

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Thanks Pranjal for putting my solution in a better way. In general, there are always two solutions possible to such problems. One corresponds to the point P inside the given triangle while the other is with the point P outside since √(85-42√2) would be a little over 5 units and that would mean that P is outside triangle ABC which is not the case as per the given diagram.

ajit athle - 6 years, 1 month ago

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