The Equilateral Triangle Wizardry

Geometry Level 4

In an equilateral triangle A B C \triangle ABC , there is a point M M in the triangle such that M A : M B : M C \overline{MA} : \overline{MB} : \overline{MC} is in the ratio 3 : 4 : 5 3:4:5 respectively.

Find A M B \angle AMB .


The answer is 150.

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2 solutions

Souryajit Roy
Jul 27, 2014

Draw the necessary figure.

Now, let M A = 3 x , M B = 4 x , M C = 5 x MA=3x,MB=4x,MC=5x .

Now, rotate point M M about B B by 6 0 60^{\circ} in clockwise direction to point P P .This will map A B AB to B C BC , M B MB to B P BP and M A MA to C P CP .

So, B P = 4 x BP=4x and C P = 3 x CP=3x .

Since, Δ B M P \Delta{BMP} is equilateral, M P = 4 x MP=4x .

Now, in Δ M P C \Delta{MPC}

M P 2 + P C 2 = 16 x 2 + 9 x 2 = 25 x 2 = ( 5 x ) 2 = M C 2 MP^{2}+PC^{2}=16x^{2}+9x^{2}=25x^{2}=(5x)^{2}=MC^{2}

Hence, M P C MPC is right angled at P.

So, B P C = B P M + M P C = 6 0 + 9 0 = 15 0 \angle{BPC}=\angle{BPM}+\angle{MPC}=60^{\circ}+90^{\circ}=150^{\circ}

Hence, A M B = B P C = 15 0 \angle{AMB}=\angle{BPC}=150^{\circ}

This is just a special case of my problem https://brilliant.org/community-problem/pythagorean-point-in-equilateral-triangle/?group=dyIlDjXsElMS

Sanjeet Raria - 6 years, 10 months ago
Maharnab Mitra
May 29, 2014

It's quite easy if we think in this way: A M : B M : C M = 3 : 4 : 5 = B M C : C M A : A M B A M B = 15 0 o AM:BM:CM=3:4:5= \angle BMC: \angle CMA : \angle AMB \implies \angle AMB =150^o . Assume the corresponding angles as 3 K , 4 K , 5 K 3K,4K,5K and then 3 k + 4 k + 5 k = 36 0 o 5 K = 15 0 o 3k+4k+5k=360^o \implies 5K=150^o

Moderator note:

This solution is wrong because A M : B M : C M B M C C M A A M B AM : BM : CM \neq \angle BMC \angle CMA \angle AMB .

lami's theorem in geometry or what :D how did you do this ?! :D

Ahmed Essam - 7 years ago

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@Maharnab Mitra Lami's theorem tells us that 3 : 4 : 5 = sin B M C : sin C M A : sin A M B 3:4:5=\sin\angle BMC : \sin \angle CMA : \sin\angle AMB , but how to prove that 3 : 4 : 5 = B M C : C M A : A M B 3:4:5=\angle BMC : \angle CMA : \angle AMB ?

It, of course, isn't generally true that sin A : sin B = A : B \sin A : \sin B = A : B . Is this where the fact that the triangle is equilateral is used (we haven't used the fact that the triangle is equilateral here yet, Lami's theorem doesn't require it).

Could anyone prove this here?

mathh mathh - 6 years, 11 months ago

Sorry, the answer is right but the solution is not. The other two angles are not 90 and 120 degrees, deduced in this reasoning, but respectively 97 and 113, roughly.

Luciano Riosa - 6 years, 10 months ago

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I have to publish here my solution for it's gone "private"...without remedy.

For simplicity let’s name AM=a, BM=b, CM=c and

A M B = α , B M C = β , C M A = γ \angle AMB=\alpha, \angle BMC=\beta, \angle CMA=\gamma

Applying cosine rule, we can now write

1 ) a 2 + b 2 2 a b cos α = b 2 + c 2 2 b c cos β 1)\space\space\space a^2+b^2-2ab\cos \alpha=b^2+c^2-2bc\cos\beta

2 ) a 2 + b 2 2 a b cos α = a 2 + c 2 2 a c cos γ 2)\space\space\space a^2+b^2-2ab\cos \alpha =a^2+c^2-2ac\cos\gamma

From 1) we then get the value of β \beta in function of α \alpha , and from 2) the value of γ \gamma in function of α \alpha , implicitly:

3 ) cos β = c 2 a 2 + 2 a b cos α 2 b c 3)\space\space\space \cos \beta=\frac{c^2-a^2+2ab \cos\alpha}{2bc}

4 ) cos γ = c 2 b 2 + 2 a b cos α 2 a c 4)\space\space\space \cos \gamma=\frac{c^2-b^2+2ab \cos\alpha}{2ac}

Plugging in the values of a, b, c (3k, 4k, 5k) we hence have:

5 ) cos β = 2 + 3 cos α 5 5)\space\space\space \cos \beta=\frac{2+3 \cos\alpha}{5}

6 ) cos γ = 3 + 8 cos α 10 6)\space\space\space \cos \gamma=\frac{3+8 \cos\alpha}{10}

Let’s remember, at this point that:

α + β + γ = 2 π \alpha +\beta +\gamma=2 \pi

hence we can write

α = β γ \alpha=-\beta -\gamma

and taking the cosine of both sides

cos α = cos ( β + γ ) \cos \alpha=\cos(\beta+\gamma)

and, at last

* 7 ) cos α = cos β cos γ 1 cos 2 β 1 cos 2 γ 7)\space\space\space \cos \alpha=\cos\beta\cos\gamma-\sqrt{1-\cos^2 \beta} \sqrt{1-\cos^2 \gamma} *

which, through the equations 5) and 6) and some iterations, quickly give us the desired answer.

Luciano Riosa - 6 years, 10 months ago

Can you explain your solution a little bit more elaborately. Thanks in advance.

jai gowtham - 7 years ago

Yes that is correct,,I did mistake to take 90,120 and 150 degrees Thanks. K.K.GARG,India

Krishna Garg - 6 years, 12 months ago

The statement is wrong in fact, A M B = 15 0 o \angle AMB =150^o but B M C = 6 0 o + α \angle BMC=60^o + \alpha , where α \alpha is the smaller angle of a right triangle with 3, 4 and 5 sides.

Marcos Araujo - 6 years, 11 months ago

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