UKMT Senior Challenge-VII

Geometry Level 4

The length of each side of the rhombus PQRS is equal to the geometric mean of the lengths of its diagonals. What is the size in degrees of the obtuse angle PQR?

This problem is not original.This problem is part of this set .


The answer is 150.

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2 solutions

James Wilson
Nov 26, 2017

Let Q Q represent the measure of P Q R \angle PQR (in degrees). The measure of P S R \angle PSR is 180 Q 180-Q (I'll leave that to you to prove). Let a a be the side length of the rhombus. Applying the law of cosines to triangles P Q R \triangle PQR and P S R \triangle PSR , I get the equations: d 1 = a 2 + a 2 2 a 2 cos ( Q ) d_1=\sqrt{a^2+a^2-2a^2\cos{(Q)}} and d 2 = a 2 + a 2 2 a 2 cos ( 180 Q ) d_2=\sqrt{a^2+a^2-2a^2\cos{(180-Q)}} . Simplifying... d 1 = a 2 ( 1 cos Q ) d_1=a\sqrt{2(1-\cos{Q})} and d 2 = a 2 ( 1 + cos Q ) d_2=a\sqrt{2(1+\cos{Q})} . Now, applying the condition that the length of the one of the sides of the rhombus is equal to the geometric mean of the lengths of the diagonals, I get a = a 2 ( 1 cos ( Q ) ) a 2 ( 1 + cos ( Q ) ) a 2 = 2 a 2 1 cos 2 ( Q ) 1 2 = sin 2 ( Q ) 1 2 = sin ( Q ) a=\sqrt{a\sqrt{2(1-\cos{(Q)})}a\sqrt{2(1+\cos{(Q)})}} \Rightarrow a^2=2a^2\sqrt{1-\cos^2{(Q)}}\Rightarrow \frac{1}{2}=\sqrt{\sin^2{(Q)}} \Rightarrow \frac{1}{2}=\sin{(Q)} . Since Q Q is obtuse, Q = 15 0 Q=150^\circ .

Sarthak Behera
Aug 6, 2015

Quite easy one...
We know that area of triangle is 1/2absin(C)
Here, area is a^2/2 (by using the gm property given in the question)
Also area is a^2{sin(S)} getting sin (S)=1/2 and S=150


Moderator note:

Can you add more details to your solution? It's not immediately clear what you are referring to. Is a a supposed to be the side of the rhombus? How do you know that the area must be a 2 2 \frac{a^2}{2} ?

As the side length 'a' is the geometric mean of diagonals say 'm' & 'n' , So we can say that m n = a S o , m n = a 2 A n d m n 2 = a 2 2 T h i s g i v e s t h e a r e a o f t h e r h o m b u s . . . \sqrt { mn } =a\\ So,\quad mn={ a }^{ 2 }\\ And\quad \frac { mn }{ 2 } =\frac { { a }^{ 2 } }{ 2 } \\ This\quad gives\quad the\quad area\quad of\quad the\quad rhombus...

Sarthak Behera - 5 years, 10 months ago

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Thanks for clarifying. Can you edit that into the solution?

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 10 months ago

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