Triangle with 2 Sides

Geometry Level 3

A triangle has sides of 88 and 105.

What should be the length of the third side in order to maximize the area of the triangle?


The answer is 137.0.

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2 solutions

Michael Mendrin
Nov 22, 2016

Keeping side of length 105 fixed, swivel the side of length 88 to maximum altitude, which happens when it's a right triangle. Use Pythagorean to find hypotenuse length of 137.

How do you know that the unknown side must be longer than the other 2 sides?

Pi Han Goh - 4 years, 6 months ago

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If the side of length of 105 is arbitrarily designated as the base of the triangle, then the other end of the side of length 88 needs to be furthest away from the base for maximum area. That occurs when the side of length 88 is at right angles to the base. Nothing is said that the 3rd side "must be longer", it just works out that way.

Michael Mendrin - 4 years, 6 months ago

I'm posting solution wait.

Sahil Silare - 4 years, 6 months ago
Sahil Silare
Nov 23, 2016

W e h a v e s i d e s 88 a n d 105 a n d l e t t h e a n g l e b e t w e e n t h e m b e θ , We\ have\ sides\ 88\ and\ 105\ and\ let\ the\ angle\ between\ them\ be\ \theta , A r e a o f t r i a n g l e = 1 2 a b sin θ Area\ of\ triangle=\frac{1}{2}ab\cdot \sin \theta A = 1 2 88 105 sin θ A=\frac{1}{2}88\cdot 105\cdot \sin \theta F o r a r e a t o b e m a x i m u m d A d θ s h o u l d b e z e r o , For\ area\ to\ be\ maximum\ \frac{dA}{d\theta }\ should\ be\ zero, d A d θ = 1 2 88 105 cos θ \frac{dA}{d\theta }=\frac{1}{2}88\cdot 105\cdot \cos \theta cos θ = 0 \cos \theta =0 θ = π 2 \theta =\frac{\pi }{2} B y p y t h a g o r a s t h e o r e m , By\ pythagoras\ theorem, 8 8 2 + 10 5 2 = ( O t h e r s i d e ) 2 88^2+105^2=\left(Other\ side\right)^2 O t h e r s i d e = 137. Other\ side\ =137. @Pi Han Goh Look it.

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