document.write( "Question 491334: Two sides of a triangle are sqrt(3) and sqrt(2) units.The medians to these sides are perpendicular to each other.Find the length of the third side. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #334674 by cleomenius(959)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! This was a tough problem, basically I found a similiar one on the web, so the solution is pretty much their's, I was kind of of torn about using it but I didn't want it to get hung up, and I like both sites so I'm passing it on.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "http://www.qbyte.org/puzzles/p100s.html\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "My suggestion is follow along with his diagram.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In the diagram below, angleBCA = angleA'CB', and CA'/CB = CB'/CA = ½. \n" ); document.write( "Hence triangles CAB and CB'A' are similar; and A'B' = ½BA. \n" ); document.write( "Let AA' and BB' intersect at D. \n" ); document.write( "Let A'D = x, B'D = y, AD = z, BD = w. Let AB = c, so that A'B' = ½c. \n" ); document.write( "Triangle ABC, with perpendicular medians AA' and BB', intersecting at D, and line segment A'B'. Length AB=c, A'B'=c/2, A'D=x, B'D=y, AD=z, BD=w.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Applying Pythagoras' Theorem to each of the four right-angled triangles shown in the diagram: \n" ); document.write( "triangleA'B'D implies y2 + x2 = c2/4. (1) \n" ); document.write( "triangleB'AD implies y2 + z2 = \n" ); document.write( "triangleABD implies w2 + z2 = c2. (3) \n" ); document.write( "triangleBA'D implies w2 + x2 = \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Then (1) − (2) + (3) − (4) implies 0 = 5c^2/4 − 5/4. \n" ); document.write( "Hence c^2 = 1.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Therefore the length of side AB is \n" ); document.write( "Cleomenius. \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |