SOLUTION: Find the area of the largest equilateral triangle that can be inscribed in a circle whose diameter is 20cm.

Algebra ->  Circles -> SOLUTION: Find the area of the largest equilateral triangle that can be inscribed in a circle whose diameter is 20cm.       Log On


   



Question 1195137: Find the area of the largest equilateral triangle that can be inscribed in a circle whose diameter is
20cm.

Answer by ikleyn(52786) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Find the area of the largest equilateral triangle that can be inscribed
in a circle whose diameter is 20cm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


            How the problem is worded, it shows that its composer has
            highlight%28quite%29 highlight%28low%29 highlight%28mathematical%29 highlight%28qualification%29.


            The correct formulation  SHOULD  NOT  speak about the largest equilateral triangle
            that can be inscribed in a circle of a given radius,  because all such triangles are congruent
            and have the same area - - - there is  NO  the  " largest "  such a triangle.


So,  I will solve the problem in that  UNIQUE  (modified)  formulation which is correct :


    Find the area of an highlight%28cross%28largest%29%29 equilateral triangle  
    inscribed in a circle whose diameter is 20 cm.


                        Solution


The sine law theorem says that if any triangle is inscribed in a circle of a radius R, then

    a%2Fsin%28alpha%29 = 2R,

where "a" is any of the three sides of the triangle and  alpha  is an opposite angle.



In our case, all the angles of the equilateral triangle have the same measure of 60°, so

    a%2Fsin%2860%5Eo%29 = 2*10,

(R = 10 cm is the radius of the circle), which implies

    a = 2%2A10%2A%28sqrt%283%29%2F2%29 = 10%2Asqrt%283%29 centimeters.


Next, the area of an equilateral triangle with the side "a" is  a%5E2%2A%28sqrt%283%29%2F4%29.


Therefore, the area of our triangle is  %28100%2A3%29%2A%28sqrt%283%29%2F4%29 = 75%2Asqrt%283%29 cm^2 = 129.9038 cm^2,  approximately.    ANSWER

Solved.

-----------------

To see the Sine law theorem in this formulation,  look into the lesson

    - Law of sines - the Geometric Proof

Happy learning  (!)