Obviously,
chetan2u has the quickest and easiest way to get to the answer. But an alternative method:
Formula: one way to find the Area of a triangle is to multiply two adjacent sides —- then take that product and multiply it by the (SINE of the included angle between those sides) such that:
Area of Triangle = (1/2) (a) (b) (SIN of included angle)
Where A and B are the adjacent sides and the included angle is the angle found BETWEEN those 2 sides
(Step 1) focusing on triangle ADE and triangle ADC
We are given the actual Areas of these 2 triangles.
Since AE and AC are both on the same line, we can use those sides as the respective Bases for each triangle.
Since there exists only one perpendicular height from a single point to a line, the Perpendicular Height drawn from vertex D will be the same for both triangles.
Using the regular Area of a Triangle formula:
Area ADE = (1/2) (h) (AE) = 1
Area ADC = (1/2) (h) (AC) = 4
Dividing the 2 equations we get the RATIO of the 2 Bases:
(AE) : (AC) = 1 : 4
(Step 2). We are given that DE is parallel to BC
This makes triangle ADE a Similar Triangle to the whole triangle ABC
The corresponding sides will be in a Constant Ratio ——-> which we found in step 1
Corresponding sides of the similar triangles ——-> AE : AC = 1 : 4
The other corresponding sides will be in the same ratio and we can use K to stand for the unknown ratio multiplier
DE : BC = 1k : 4k
AD : AB = 1k : 4k
Side DB (one of the sides of triangle DBC, the area we need to find) will be equal to the difference between Side AB and Side AD ——-> 4k - 1k = 3k
Thus, in summary:
Triangle ADE:
AD = 1k
DE = 1k
Included Angle between these sides ———Angle < D
Triangle DBC:
DB = 3k
BC = 4k
Included Angle between these sides ——— Angle < B
(Step 3) we can use the formula listed in the beginning to find the Area of triangle ADE and then finally the target Triangle, triangle DBC
Area of Triangle ADE = (1/2) (AD) (DE) (SIN of included angle D) = 1
Or
(1/2) (1k) (1k) (Sin X) = 1
(k^2) (Sin X) = 2
we are told that DE is parallel to BC ——-> making Angle < D and Angle < B corresponding CONGRUENT angles in the Similar triangles ADE and ABC
SIN of Angle < D = SIN of Angle < B = (Sin X)
**Area of triangle DBC =
(1/2) (DB) (BC) (Sin of Angle < B) =
(1/2) (3k) (4k) (Sin X) = ?
Or
(6) (k^2) (Sin X) = ?
From the above Area of triangle ADE, we found:
(k^2) (Sin X) = 2
Substituting this in for our Area of triangle DBC we get:
(6) (2) = 12
Area of triangle DBC = 12
D
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