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# In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and

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In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 10:01
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In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 10:13
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ronr34 wrote:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks

You assume with no ground for it that the lengths of the sides are integers. Knowing that hypotenuse equals to 13 DOES NOT mean that the sides of the right triangle necessarily must be in the ratio of Pythagorean triple - 5:12:13. Or in other words: if $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ DOES NOT mean that $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$, certainly this is one of the possibilities but definitely not the only one. In fact $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ has infinitely many solutions for $$a$$ and $$b$$ and only one of them is $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$.

For example: $$a=1$$ and $$b=\sqrt{168}$$ or $$a=2$$ and $$b=\sqrt{165}$$ ...

Hope it's clear.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?
A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

Since ABC is a right triangle and BC is hypotenuse then the area is $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC$$.

$$AB + AC = 15$$ --> square it: $$AB^2 + 2*AB*AC + AC^2=225$$.

Also, since BC is the hypotenuse, then $$AB^2 + AC^2=BC^2=169$$.

Substitute the second equation in the first: $$169+ 2*AB*AC=225$$ --> $$2*AB*AC=56$$ --> $$AB*AC=28$$.

The area = $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC=14$$.

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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 10:22
1
KUDOS
Area of the triangle is 1/2*B*H = 1/2*AB*AC

Squaring on Both Sides

(AB+AC)^2 = AB^2 + AC^2 + 2AB.AC = 225

AB^2+AC^2 is 13^2

So on solving the equation we get

2AB.AC=56

1/2AB.AC=14

EDIT : Oh damn Bunuel beat me to it
Senior Manager
Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Posts: 464
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 12:07
Bunuel wrote:
ronr34 wrote:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks

You assume with no ground for it that the lengths of the sides are integers. Knowing that hypotenuse equals to 13 DOES NOT mean that the sides of the right triangle necessarily must be in the ratio of Pythagorean triple - 5:12:13. Or in other words: if $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ DOES NOT mean that $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$, certainly this is one of the possibilities but definitely not the only one. In fact $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ has infinitely many solutions for $$a$$ and $$b$$ and only one of them is $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$.

For example: $$a=1$$ and $$b=\sqrt{168}$$ or $$a=2$$ and $$b=\sqrt{165}$$ ...

Hope it's clear.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?
A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

Since ABC is a right triangle and BC is hypotenuse then the area is $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC$$.

$$AB + AC = 15$$ --> square it: $$AB^2 + 2*AB*AC + AC^2=225$$.

Also, since BC is the hypotenuse, then $$AB^2 + AC^2=BC^2=169$$.

Substitute the second equation in the first: $$169+ 2*AB*AC=225$$ --> $$2*AB*AC=56$$ --> $$AB*AC=28$$.

The area = $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC=14$$.

That explains it....
Thanks
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Joined: 26 Sep 2013
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 17:41
1
KUDOS
Bunuel wrote:
ronr34 wrote:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks

You assume with no ground for it that the lengths of the sides are integers. Knowing that hypotenuse equals to 13 DOES NOT mean that the sides of the right triangle necessarily must be in the ratio of Pythagorean triple - 5:12:13. Or in other words: if $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ DOES NOT mean that $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$, certainly this is one of the possibilities but definitely not the only one. In fact $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ has infinitely many solutions for $$a$$ and $$b$$ and only one of them is $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$.

For example: $$a=1$$ and $$b=\sqrt{168}$$ or $$a=2$$ and $$b=\sqrt{165}$$ ...

Hope it's clear.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?
A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

Since ABC is a right triangle and BC is hypotenuse then the area is $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC$$.

$$AB + AC = 15$$ --> square it: $$AB^2 + 2*AB*AC + AC^2=225$$.

Also, since BC is the hypotenuse, then $$AB^2 + AC^2=BC^2=169$$.

Substitute the second equation in the first: $$169+ 2*AB*AC=225$$ --> $$2*AB*AC=56$$ --> $$AB*AC=28$$.

The area = $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC=14$$.

How the hell did you know to square that? I tried using the pythag theorem for A^2+B^2=13^2, and since A+B=15, since A=15-B, subbing that back into the pythag theorem. Ended up with b^2-15b+28...which only has ugly solutions.
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  23 Nov 2013, 21:49
Just try to remember the relationship between area of a triangle with its sides involves The Pythagorean (or Pythagoras') Theorem a^2+b^2=c^2 and the equation (a+B)^2= a^2 + b^2 + 2ab---- in MGMAT series, they mention about this relationship too. GOOD LUCK
Current Student
Joined: 26 Sep 2013
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  26 Nov 2013, 12:14
dreambig1990 wrote:
Just try to remember the relationship between area of a triangle with its sides involves The Pythagorean (or Pythagoras') Theorem a^2+b^2=c^2 and the equation (a+B)^2= a^2 + b^2 + 2ab---- in MGMAT series, they mention about this relationship too. GOOD LUCK

ah ok, thanks! I appreciate it
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  12 Dec 2013, 13:11
Bunuel wrote:
ronr34 wrote:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks

You assume with no ground for it that the lengths of the sides are integers. Knowing that hypotenuse equals to 13 DOES NOT mean that the sides of the right triangle necessarily must be in the ratio of Pythagorean triple - 5:12:13. Or in other words: if $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ DOES NOT mean that $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$, certainly this is one of the possibilities but definitely not the only one. In fact $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ has infinitely many solutions for $$a$$ and $$b$$ and only one of them is $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$.

For example: $$a=1$$ and $$b=\sqrt{168}$$ or $$a=2$$ and $$b=\sqrt{165}$$ ...

Hope it's clear.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?
A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

Since ABC is a right triangle and BC is hypotenuse then the area is $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC$$.

$$AB + AC = 15$$ --> square it: $$AB^2 + 2*AB*AC + AC^2=225$$.

Also, since BC is the hypotenuse, then $$AB^2 + AC^2=BC^2=169$$.

Substitute the second equation in the first: $$169+ 2*AB*AC=225$$ --> $$2*AB*AC=56$$ --> $$AB*AC=28$$.

The area = $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC=14$$.

That is exactly what I did and it made sense right up to the last part.

We know that x+y = 15, we also know that x*y=28. There are only a few possibilities for what x and y could be:

x=1 y=28 (which we can rule out right off the bat)
x=2 y=14
x=4 y=7

None of which add up to 15. I see how you arrived at the answer: x*y (i.e. the base times the height) = 28 so you multiply by 1/2 to get the area of a triangle but shouldn't one of those sets of x, y also = 15?
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  13 Dec 2013, 01:57
Expert's post
WholeLottaLove wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
ronr34 wrote:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?

A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

I have a question regarding this.
If Bc is the hypotenuse, and the triangle is a right triangle,
that means that the other two side must be 5:12:13....
How can it be stated that the other sides sum to be 15?

thanks

You assume with no ground for it that the lengths of the sides are integers. Knowing that hypotenuse equals to 13 DOES NOT mean that the sides of the right triangle necessarily must be in the ratio of Pythagorean triple - 5:12:13. Or in other words: if $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ DOES NOT mean that $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$, certainly this is one of the possibilities but definitely not the only one. In fact $$a^2+b^2=13^2$$ has infinitely many solutions for $$a$$ and $$b$$ and only one of them is $$a=5$$ and $$b=12$$.

For example: $$a=1$$ and $$b=\sqrt{168}$$ or $$a=2$$ and $$b=\sqrt{165}$$ ...

Hope it's clear.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:
In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and AB + AC = 15, what is the area of the triangle?
A. 2√7
B. 2√14
C. 14
D. 28
E. 56

Since ABC is a right triangle and BC is hypotenuse then the area is $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC$$.

$$AB + AC = 15$$ --> square it: $$AB^2 + 2*AB*AC + AC^2=225$$.

Also, since BC is the hypotenuse, then $$AB^2 + AC^2=BC^2=169$$.

Substitute the second equation in the first: $$169+ 2*AB*AC=225$$ --> $$2*AB*AC=56$$ --> $$AB*AC=28$$.

The area = $$\frac{1}{2}*AB*AC=14$$.

That is exactly what I did and it made sense right up to the last part.

We know that x+y = 15, we also know that x*y=28. There are only a few possibilities for what x and y could be:

x=1 y=28 (which we can rule out right off the bat)
x=2 y=14
x=4 y=7

None of which add up to 15. I see how you arrived at the answer: x*y (i.e. the base times the height) = 28 so you multiply by 1/2 to get the area of a triangle but shouldn't one of those sets of x, y also = 15?

Why do you assume that the lengths of the sides are integers?
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  13 Dec 2013, 05:19
That's a good point - all that is relevant is that it is a right angle and we know that the two leg lengths, whatever they are individually, multiply to 14.
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  13 Dec 2013, 09:30
WholeLottaLove wrote:
That's a good point - all that is relevant is that it is a right angle and we know that the two leg lengths, whatever they are individually, multiply to 14.

Also if you want to go from : We know that x+y = 15, we also know that $$x*y=28$$--->>>
$$y=28/x$$
$$x+28/x= 15$$
$$x^2-15x+28=0$$
$$x1= (15+\sqrt{113} )/2$$ or
$$x2=(15-\sqrt{113} )/2$$
So$$Y1=(15-\sqrt{113} )/2$$
$$Y2=(15-\sqrt{113} )/2$$

--NOTICE that the results is not integers or multiply to 14 or st
So X1, Y1 and X2, Y2 just switch with each other so it's very reasonable coz' no assumption of which one is greater.
And $$X1.Y1/2=X2.Y2/2= 28/2=14$$.

Hope it help!!
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  31 Mar 2014, 21:33
AccipiterQ wrote:
dreambig1990 wrote:
Just try to remember the relationship between area of a triangle with its sides involves The Pythagorean (or Pythagoras') Theorem a^2+b^2=c^2 and the equation (a+B)^2= a^2 + b^2 + 2ab---- in MGMAT series, they mention about this relationship too. GOOD LUCK

ah ok, thanks! I appreciate it

Would make 1 small note to "remember the relationship between the area of a RIGHT triangle with its sides involves the PT a^2+b^2=c^2 and the equation (a+b)^2=a^2+b^2" ... this relationship won't help you much in problems involving non-right triangles
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  03 Apr 2014, 02:30
Attachment:

w.jpg [ 9.38 KiB | Viewed 2138 times ]

Hope you guys like this method:

Refer diagram & form the equations

We require to find area of right triangle

$$= \frac{1}{2} * x * (15-x)$$

$$= \frac{1}{2} * (15x - x^2)$$ .................... (1)

Using Pythagoras theorem,

$$13^2 = x^2 + (15-x)^2$$

$$169 = x^2 + 225 - 30x + x^2$$

(IMPORTANT: Don't try to solve it; just re-arrange it per requirement)

$$30x - 2x^2 = 56$$

$$15x - x^2 = 28$$..................... (2)

Placing 28 obtained from equation (2) in equation (1)

Area of right triangle $$= \frac{1}{2} * 28$$

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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and [#permalink]  25 Apr 2015, 17:43
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Re: In right triangle ABC, BC is the hypotenuse. If BC is 13 and   [#permalink] 25 Apr 2015, 17:43
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