Need help with trig/triangle question - HARD QUESTION!!!!! (1 Viewer)

blackops23

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(i) show that cos(theta) = [b(a+c)]/2ac
(ii) if a=b and c=2b find the area of Triangle AOC

No idea how to do part (i)...cosine rule?
 
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For part 1 consider areas. That should be a great enough hint :)

(I like this question a lot - makes you think.)
 

blackops23

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For part 1 consider areas. That should be a great enough hint :)

(I like this question a lot - makes you think.)
= D = D I got it!

once you know the method it was suprisingly easy....but if someone didn't tell me to use areas I would never have been able to figure it out...
 

blackops23

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For part (ii) I got

A= {[4(a^2)(c^2) - (b^2)(a+c)^2]/2} - is it correct?

EDIT: is there an easier way to get the answer??

I did...Area of AOC = (b/2)(sin(theta))(a+c)

cos(theta) = [b(a+c)/2ac]....then I drew a right angled triangle....hyptonuse = 2ac, adjacent = b(a+c), and opposite was calculated via pythagoras...and sin(theta) was just opposite/hypotenuse....

is there a quicker way?
 
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Yay :)

I initially considered consine rule as well, using AB^2 and BC^2 and combining that with AC^2=(AB+BC)^2=AB^2+2.AB.BC+BC^2 but that got too messy. Took a min then found the answer :)
 
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Umm check my working:



I can't see a quicker way at the moment...You could consider sine rules within the smaller triangles but you'd be left with other angles that you don't know of. I think the 'ugly' answer is the cleanest/simplest one we can get.

Others please suggest otherwise :)
 
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D94

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If you sub in a=b and c=2b into the equation for cosØ, you get cosØ = 3/4. By trigonometry, sinØ = (√7)/4, therefore, sin2Ø = (3√7)/8. Area AOC = 1/2 ac sin2Ø = 1/2 b 2b (3√7)/8 = b2 (3√7)/8.

(I suspect there should be more to it, but that's what I got)
 
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Ah yes - that's correct.

But some extra thoughts:

The area of AOC doesn't actually depend on the length of B, nor the existence of OB itself. Would it be 'more correct' (for the sake of being nit picky) to say that the area is ? lols
 

braintic

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I haven't tried the question yet, but from a quick scan I'm just wondering what I'm missing - why does a=b and c=2b?

From the diagram, I can't see how the area could depend only on a or only on b.
 

D94

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I haven't tried the question yet, but from a quick scan I'm just wondering what I'm missing - why does a=b and c=2b?

From the diagram, I can't see how the area could depend only on a or only on b.
The question states: "if a=b and c=2b find the area of Triangle AOC".
 

braintic

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The question states: "if a=b and c=2b find the area of Triangle AOC".
Oops ... I did say it was a quick glance ... I'll just slowly exit stage left.
 

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