MisterEko wrote:
Following is from
MGMAT CAT:
The length of arc AXB is twice the length of arc BZC, and the length of arc AYC is three times the length of arc AXB. What is the measure of angle BCA?
1. 20
2. 40
3. 60
4. 80
5. 120
My reasoning was:
AXB=2BCZ
AYC=3AXB
AYC=6BCZ
2BCZ+BCZ+3BCZ=360 Degrees
BCZ=40 degrees
AXB=80 degrees
AYC=240 degrees
Since AXB=80 and is opposite of angle BCA will be half of that (40)
At the same time, since BCZ is 40 degrees, BAC will be 20, and finally, since AYC is 240, ABC will be 120. I am not sure if this rule exists, it just made sense to me, and my answer of 40 degrees was correct. Am i right here?
The red part is not correct.
When we are told that "the length of arc AXB is twice the length of arc BZC" means that \(\angle{AOB}=2*\angle{BOC}\), where O is the center of the circle. Similarly "the length of arc AYC is three times the length of arc AXB." means that \(\angle{YOC}=3*\angle{AOB}\)
So if \(\angle{BOC}=x\) then \(x+2x+3*2x=360\) --> \(x=40\) --> \(\angle{AOB}=2*\angle{BOC}=2*40=80\). Now, according to
The Central Angle Theorem the measure of inscribed angle is always half the measure of the central angle so \(\angle{AOB}=80=2*\angle{BCA}\) --> \(\angle{BCA}=40\).
Answer: B.
To elaborate more on angles and arcs:
You should know that when you measure the length of an arc in degrees then it's the measure of corresponding central angle. For example \(\angle{BOC}=40\) means that arcBZC is 40/360=1/9 th of the circumference. Next, \(\angle{BAC}\), according to the central angle theorem, will be half the measure of the central angle, so \(\angle{BAC}=\frac{\angle{BOC}}{2}=20\). As for \(\angle{BZC}\): it'll be supplementary angle to \(\angle{BAC}\) (supplementary angles are two angles that add up to 180°), so it equals to \(\angle{BZC}=180-\angle{BAC}=160\).
For more chek Circles chapter of Math Book:
math-circles-87957.htmlHope it helps.