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Three Right Angles

Age 14 to 16
ShortChallenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Secondary curriculum
  • Problem
  • Solutions

 In the diagram, the green triangle and the blue triangle are congruent, since they are both right-angled triangles with a 30$^\circ$ angle, and they share the side adjacent to the 30$^\circ$ angle.

The purple triangle is also a right-angled triangle with a 30$^\circ$ angle, but it is not congruent to the others, because the side it shares with the blue triangle is the hypotenuse of the blue triangle, but not of the purple triangle.



The green and blue triangles make an equilateral triangle:
 
This means that the side which the pink triangle shares with the blue triangle is 2 cm.


Then $x$ can be found using trigonometry:
  
$\cos{30} = \dfrac 2x $

$\Rightarrow x=\dfrac2{cos{30}}=\dfrac 4{\sqrt{3}}$

 
You can find more short problems, arranged by curriculum topic, in our short problems collection.

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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