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Will85237

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UsernameWill85237
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Questions 3
Answers 139

 #3
avatar+561 
+15

Took me a while and I don't think I have the easiest method, but I've got an answer for question 2.

Let angle ABC (and all angles equal to it) be α

This allows us to make some deductions:

1)  angle AEB = 180°-α (supplementary to angle CED), and angle BAE = 180°-2α (sum of angles in isoceles triangle ABC), implies that angle ABE = 180°-(180°+α+180°-2α) = 3α-180° (sum of angles in triangle ABE), implies that angle CBD = α-(3α-180°) = 180°-2α (adjecent to angle ABE)

2) DE = 8-2 = 6 (isosceles triangle BCE)

3) if angle ABC = angle CDE and angle ACB = angle DCE, triangles ABC and CDE are similar

 

Using deduction 1, figure out the length of CD in terms of α using the cosine rule.

CD2=BD2+BC22×BD×BC×cos(CBD)

CD2=22+822×2×8×cos(180°2α)

CD=68+32cos(2α)

CD = EC (isoceles triangle CDE)

 

Using deduction 2, apply the cosine rule to triangle CDE to find a value for α (if you have a fear of long or ugly equations, look away now).

DE2=CD2+CE22×CD×CE×cos(DCE)

62=68+32cos(2α)2+68+32cos(2α)22×68+32cos(2α)×68+32cos(2α)×cos(180°2α)

0=100+64cos(2α)+200cos(2α)+64cos2(2α)

Then solve the quadratic however you want (graph, formula, PlySmlt2)

cos(2α)=0.625

α=64.341°

Use this value to find the length of CE and CD.

CD=68+32cos(2α)

CD=68+32cos(2×64.341°)

CD=6.9282

 

Using deduction 3, find the length of AB with similar triangle rules.

DEBC=ECAB

68=6.9282AB

AB=9.24

 

Feel free to ask if any of my thinking is unclear or I've made a mistake.

Apr 5, 2016
 #1
avatar+561 
+5
Feb 24, 2016