Triples and Areas!

Geometry Level pending

In A B C , A B = 3 j , A C = 4 j , B C = 5 j , M \triangle{ABC}, \overline{AB} = 3j, \overline{AC} = 4j, \overline{BC} = 5j, M is a midpoint of B C \overline{BC} and A M \overline{AM} is a side of square M A E D MAED .

Find the integer value of j j for which A A E D F = 250 A_{AEDF} = 250 .


The answer is 8.

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2 solutions

David Vreken
Feb 17, 2021

Since ( 3 j ) 2 + ( 4 j ) 2 = ( 5 j ) 2 (3j)^2 + (4j)^2 = (5j)^2 , A B C \triangle ABC is a right triangle, and by Thales's Theorem right A \angle A will lie on the circle that has B C BC as its diameter.

Since M M is the midpoint of B C BC , M M is the center of that circle, and M B = M A = M C = 5 2 j MB = MA = MC = \cfrac{5}{2}j , so A C M \triangle ACM is an isosceles triangle.

As two base angles of an isosceles triangle, M C A = M A C \angle MCA = \angle MAC , which means A M F C A B \triangle AMF \sim \triangle CAB by AA similarity.

Since A M F C A B \triangle AMF \sim \triangle CAB , M F = M A A B A C = 5 2 j 3 j 4 j = 15 8 j MF = MA \cdot \cfrac{AB}{AC} = \cfrac{5}{2}j \cdot \cfrac{3j}{4j} = \cfrac{15}{8}j .

Then A A E D F = A M A E D A A M F = ( 5 2 j ) 2 1 2 15 8 j 5 2 j = 125 32 j 2 = 250 A_{AEDF} = A_{MAED} - A_{\triangle AMF} = \bigg(\cfrac{5}{2}j\bigg)^2 - \cfrac{1}{2} \cdot \cfrac{15}{8} j \cdot \cfrac{5}{2} j = \cfrac{125}{32}j^2 = 250 , which solves to j = 8 j = \boxed{8} .

Rocco Dalto
Feb 16, 2021

( 3 j , 4 j , 5 j ) (3j,4j,5j) is a Pythagorean triple A B C \implies \triangle{ABC} is a right triangle with m A = 9 0 m\angle{A} = 90^{\circ} and cos ( θ ) = 3 5 \cos(\theta) = \dfrac{3}{5}

Using the law of cosines on B A M \triangle{BAM} with included A B C = θ \angle{ABC} = \theta \implies

A M 2 = 9 j 2 + 25 4 j 2 2 ( 3 j ) ( 5 j 2 ) ( 3 5 ) = \overline{AM}^2 = 9j^2 + \dfrac{25}{4}j^2 - 2(3j)(\dfrac{5j}{2})(\dfrac{3}{5}) = 25 4 j 2 A M = 5 2 j \dfrac{25}{4}j^2 \implies \overline{AM} = \dfrac{5}{2}j \implies

M F = A F cos ( θ ) = 3 5 A F \overline{MF} = \overline{AF}\cos(\theta) = \dfrac{3}{5}\overline{AF} \implies

A F 2 = 25 4 j 2 + 9 25 A F 2 16 25 A F 2 = 25 4 j 2 A F = 25 8 j \overline{AF}^2 = \dfrac{25}{4}j^2 + \dfrac{9}{25}\overline{AF}^2 \implies \dfrac{16}{25}\overline{AF}^2 = \dfrac{25}{4}j^2 \implies \overline{AF} = \dfrac{25}{8}j

M F = 3 5 ( 25 8 ) j = 15 8 j A A M F = \implies \overline{MF} = \dfrac{3}{5}(\dfrac{25}{8})j = \dfrac{15}{8}j \implies A_{\triangle{AMF}} = 1 2 ( 5 j 2 ) ( 15 j 8 ) = 75 32 j \dfrac{1}{2}(\dfrac{5j}{2})(\dfrac{15j}{8}) = \dfrac{75}{32}j

A R = A A E D F = 25 4 j 2 75 32 j 2 = 125 32 j 2 = 250 j 2 = 64 j = 8 \implies A_{R} = A_{AEDF} = \dfrac{25}{4}j^2 - \dfrac{75}{32}j^2 = \dfrac{125}{32}j^2 = 250 \implies j^2 = 64 \implies j = \boxed{8} .

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