Have You Considered All Possible Configurations?

Geometry Level 5

A B C \triangle{ABC} is an isosceles triangle such that the length of the altitude from A A to B C BC is half the length of B C BC . Find the sum of all possible values of B A C \angle{BAC} in degrees.


The answer is 180.

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1 solution

Calvin Lin Staff
Aug 20, 2016

Let D D be the foot of the perpendicular from D D to B C BC .

Case 1: A B = A C AB = AC
Then, we must have D D lying within B C BC , and A D = 1 , B C = 2 , D C = 1 AD = 1, BC = 2, DC = 1 . This gives us A D C , A D B ADC, ADB are isosceles right triangles, and thus B A C = 9 0 \angle BAC = 90 ^ \circ .

Case 2: A C = C B AC = CB (and equivalently, A B = B C AB = BC )
Case 2a: D D lies on the line segment B C BC
Then, A C = 2 , A D = 1 AC = 2, AD = 1 so A C B = 3 0 \angle ACB = 30 ^ \circ and thus B A C = ( 180 30 ) 2 = 7 5 \angle BAC = \frac{ (180 - 30) } { 2} = 75 ^ \circ .

Case 2b: D D does not lie on the segment B C BC .
Then, D C A = 3 0 \angle DCA = 30 ^ \circ and so B C A = 15 0 \angle BCA = 150 ^ \circ and thus B A C = ( 180 150 ) 2 = 1 5 \angle BAC = \frac{ (180-150) } {2} = 15 ^ \circ .

Nice solution. I missed 2a. +1)

Niranjan Khanderia - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Since edit above is not working, this here in reply.
Three conditions are when A is acute, right angle and obtuse.

Niranjan Khanderia - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Hm, I don't think those 3 conditions naturally arise when considering the question.

Also, they do not reflect the actual cases. Case 1 = right, case 2 = acute, case 3 = acute.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago

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@Calvin Lin I mean the triangle ABC.
When the altitude is to the base, A=90 . Only one possibility.
When the altitude is to one of the equal side, there are two cases. 2a. and 2b. as you have shown. An acute angled ABC and an obtuse angled ABC. We can not have a right ABC here.

Niranjan Khanderia - 4 years, 8 months ago

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@Niranjan Khanderia Ah ic. I still don't think your scenarios arise naturally from considering the question. Yes, they do describe the possibilities, but it's not immediately clear why we should do so, or why there aren't other cases that aruse.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 8 months ago

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