The Right Kite

Geometry Level 2

Diagram above shows a kite A B C D ABCD circumscribed in a circle.

If the area ratio of the red to the blue region is 3 : 1 3 : 1 , what is the measure of A B C \angle ABC in degrees?

Hint : If you know the right kite, things will get much easier.


The answer is 120.

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5 solutions

Chew-Seong Cheong
Oct 21, 2015

Let the center of the circumcircle be O O and its radius be r r , and B O BO cuts A C AC at P P .

Since the ratio of areas: A B C A D C = 1 3 B P = O P = 1 2 r D P = 3 2 r \dfrac{|\triangle ABC|}{|\triangle ADC|} = \dfrac{1}{3} \quad \Rightarrow BP = OP = \dfrac{1}{2}r \quad \Rightarrow DP = \dfrac{3}{2}r .

We see that cos C O P = O P O C = 1 2 r r = 1 2 C O P = 6 0 C P = 3 2 r \cos \angle COP = \dfrac{OP}{OC} = \dfrac {\frac{1}{2}r}{r} = \dfrac{1}{2}\quad \Rightarrow \angle COP = 60^\circ \quad \Rightarrow CP = \dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}r .

Therefore, tan C B P = C P B P = 3 2 r 1 2 r = 3 C B P = 6 0 A B C = 2 × C B P = 12 0 \tan \angle CBP = \dfrac{CP}{BP} = \dfrac{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}r}{\frac{1}{2}r} = \sqrt{3} \quad \Rightarrow \angle CBP = 60^\circ \quad \Rightarrow \angle ABC = 2 \times \angle CBP = \boxed{120^\circ}

Impressive solution

Manvendra Singh - 5 years, 7 months ago

would you plz show me how is "BP=OP" ??

Optimum Rakib - 5 years, 7 months ago

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O P = O B B P = r 1 2 r = 1 2 r = B P OP = OB - BP = r - \frac{1}{2}r = \frac{1}{2}r = BP

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 7 months ago

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Why BP = 1/2r

Umang Chudasma - 5 years, 7 months ago

Let A B C = θ \angle ABC=\theta , A B = B C = b AB=BC=b and A D = C D = r AD=CD=r . We know that A B C + A D C = 18 0 \angle ABC+\angle ADC=180^\circ because A B C D ABCD is cyclic, hence A D C = 18 0 θ \angle ADC=180^\circ-\theta . Also [ A D C ] = 3 [ A B C ] [ADC]=3[ABC] . Using Law of Sines to compute the area we get: r 2 sin ( 18 0 θ ) / 2 = 3 b 2 sin ( θ ) / 2 r^2\sin(180^\circ-\theta)/2=3b^2\sin(\theta)/2 , which implies r 2 = 3 b 2 r^2=3b^2 or r b = 3 \dfrac{r}{b}=\sqrt{3} .

Now, note that A C = 2 r sin ( 18 0 θ 2 ) AC=2r\sin\left(\dfrac{180^\circ-\theta}{2}\right) and A C = 2 b sin ( θ 2 ) AC=2b\sin\left(\dfrac{\theta}{2}\right) . Then: r cos ( θ 2 ) = b sin ( θ 2 ) r\cos\left(\dfrac{\theta}{2}\right)=b\sin\left(\dfrac{\theta}{2}\right) .

Finally, we have r b = tan ( θ 2 ) \dfrac{r}{b}=\tan\left(\dfrac{\theta}{2}\right) , which is 3 = tan ( θ 2 ) \sqrt{3}=\tan\left(\dfrac{\theta}{2}\right) and θ = 12 0 \theta=120^\circ .

Hoàn Phạm
Oct 19, 2015

Let A C B D = E AC\cap BD ={E} , Δ B E C Δ C E D B E C E = E C E D B E E D = ( E C E D ) 2 \Delta BEC ∾ \Delta CED \Rightarrow \dfrac{BE}{CE} = \dfrac{EC}{ED} \Rightarrow \dfrac{BE}{ED} = \left(\dfrac{EC}{ED}\right)^2

And I have, B E E D = a r e a ( b l u e ) a r e a ( r e d ) = 1 3 \dfrac{BE}{ED}=\dfrac{area(blue)}{area(red)} = \dfrac{1}{3} ( E C E D ) 2 = 1 3 E C 2 + E D 2 E D 2 = 4 3 D C 2 E D 2 = 4 3 cos E D C = 3 2 A B C = 12 0 o \Rightarrow \left(\dfrac{EC}{ED}\right)^2 = \dfrac{1}{3} \Rightarrow \dfrac{EC^2+ED^2}{ED^2}= \dfrac{4}{3}\Rightarrow \dfrac{DC^2}{ED^2}= \dfrac{4}{3} \Rightarrow \cos{EDC}=\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \Rightarrow \angle{ABC} = 120^o

Alexandre Gomes
Oct 21, 2015

I will just outline my solution... It's quite easy to show that BD is a diameter. Therefore, angle BAD = angle BCD = 90. Let E be the intersection of the diameter BD and the line AC. Using the ratio 3:1 provided, it follows that BE = BD/4 and DE = 3BD/4. Let F be the center of the circumference. Draw the triangle AFC. Can you see that this triangle and the triangle ABC are congruent? Yes, they are! Therefore, angle ABC = angle AFC. Moreover, AFC = 2ADC. Since ABC + ADC = 180 and ABC = AFC, ABC = 2ADC. Finally, ABC + ABC/2 = 180 and angle ABC = 120.

Yes, that's why it's called the right kite because it's got 2 right angles. Great job!

Worranat Pakornrat - 5 years, 7 months ago
Ujjwal Rane
Aug 21, 2016

Since the triangles have same base but 1:3 areas, their heights must be 1:3. The half way point of the combined altitude (the diameter) is the center, But it divides the red altitude in 1:2 (the centroid!) So the red triangle must be equilateral, making the desired angle 180-60 = 120. Because the two triangles together form a cyclic quadrilateral.

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