Triangle Midpoints
We received two different approaches to the solution. The first is based on what Stephanie from Beecroft School noticed.
Stephanie noticed that the large triangle is made from four congruent triangles, one of which is the triangle joining the midpoints. Stephanie therefore created the larger triangle by making three copies of the smaller one and translated and rotated them into place.
My question is:
How do you know the triangles are congruent? Does the following diagram help?
Chip at King's Ely School and Eli sent in a solution based on Stephanie's ideas.
Like my question above, I want to know how you know the vertices of the larger triangle can be found in this way? Also, if you can convince me you are right, how does the construction to find the midpoint of the sides of the triangle work and why?
The second approach involved parallel lines:
The original triangle PQR can be drawn by constructing a line through A parallel to BC, a line through B parallel to AC and a line through C parallel to AB.
You should then be able to prove that the points A, B and C are the mid-points of PR, PQ and QR.
How do you know the sides of the larger triangle are parallel and how can you construct each of the lines parallel to the sides of the original triangle. Why does the construction work?
Can you tell us more about how these ideas work please?
You may also like
Fitting In
The largest square which fits into a circle is ABCD and EFGH is a square with G and H on the line CD and E and F on the circumference of the circle. Show that AB = 5EF. Similarly the largest equilateral triangle which fits into a circle is LMN and PQR is an equilateral triangle with P and Q on the line LM and R on the circumference of the circle. Show that LM = 3PQ
Two Ladders
Two ladders are propped up against facing walls. The end of the first ladder is 10 metres above the foot of the first wall. The end of the second ladder is 5 metres above the foot of the second wall. At what height do the ladders cross?