+98 Triangles \(ABC\) and \(BDC\), shown here, are \(30\)-\(60\)-\(90\) right triangles, and \(AC=12\) cm. The area of \(\triangle{BDC}\) can be written in simplest radical form \(\frac{a\sqrt{c}}{b}\) cm\(^2\), where \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are positive integers. What is the value of \(a+b+c\)?
+590 We know that AC =12cm. And triangle ABC is a 30-60-90 triangle. So Angle A must be 30 degrees.
So we can do sin (30)=AC/BC, which is sin(30)=12/BC.
Multiply both sides by BC and we get sin(30)*BC =12.
Divide both sides by sin(30) and we get BC=sin(30)*12.
Plug sin(30)*12 into a calculator and you get 6. So BC is 6.
Now, we also know that triangle BDC is a 30-60-90 triangle.
The ratio of side DC to side DB to side BC is 1:sqrt(3):2
Using that ratio, we can find that DC is 3 and DB is 3*sqrt(3) because we already found the length of BC, which is 6.
And the triangle's area formula is base *height*1/2. So 3*(3*sqrt(3))*1/2= 9*sqrt(3)/2
Then 'a' must be 9, 'b' must be 2, and 'c' must be 3.
So a+b+c= 9+2+3= 14.
The answer is 14.
Correct me if I'm wrong. I might've made some errors in calculation and making equations. 
+9466 It looks like m∠A = 30° , but I don't know how to tell that for sure....
If m∠A = 60° , then m∠C = 30° and BC = 6√3 .
That means BD = 3√3 and CD = 3√3 * √3 = 9
So the area of triangle BDC = \(\frac{(3\sqrt3)(9)}{2} \,=\, \frac{27\sqrt3}{2}\)
And..... 27 + 3 + 2 = 32
If m∠A = 30° , then I get 14 too.
