Online Course Discussion Forum

P9 from week 2 day 2

 
 
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P9 from week 2 day 2
by Henry Zhang - Monday, July 27, 2020, 11:14 AM
 

P9: In  convex  quadrilateral ABCD, ∠A=  60◦, ∠C=  30◦,  and AB=AD.   Show  that AC2=BC2+CD2.

since the thing we are trying to prove is very similar to a Pythagorean a^2 + b^2 = c^2, I have tried constructing or adding in lines of length a perpendicular to the original segment of length b, where a and b are BC and CD and trying to show that the hypotenuse of that right triangle is the same length as AC through similar triangles or other methods. I don't really think this method is going anywhere.

 
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Re: P9 from week 2 day 2
by Dr. Kevin Wang - Monday, August 10, 2020, 1:03 AM
 

Try rotation: rotate the triangle ABC 60 degrees about point A to a new triangle ADC'.  Note that the segment AB becomes AD after rotation.  Now triangle ACC' is a big equilateral triangle.