Last visit was: 27 Apr 2026, 22:38 It is currently 27 Apr 2026, 22:38
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
joemama142000
Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Last visit: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 645
Own Kudos:
Posts: 645
Kudos: 1,791
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
conocieur
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Last visit: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 103
Own Kudos:
Location: Colombia, South America
Posts: 103
Kudos: 38
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
ipc302
Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Last visit: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 102
Own Kudos:
Location: Milwaukee,WI
Posts: 102
Kudos: 20
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Avis
Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Last visit: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 36
Own Kudos:
Posts: 36
Kudos: 87
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
beats me..how did u get the height and base lenghts?
User avatar
razrulz
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Last visit: 23 Sep 2006
Posts: 98
Own Kudos:
Location: Chennai,India
Posts: 98
Kudos: 14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ipc302
since its a right angle triangle the two sides of traingle breath and height will be and x and x-2 and the hypotoneus will be x +2

so the area will be (1/2) *x * (x-2)



Quote:
Note :- if u use pythagoras theorem i.e x ^2 + (x - 2) ^2 = (x +2)^2

u will get the value of x as 0 and 8 ... since 0 means that there is no traingle so the value of x will be 8 hence that way the area will be 24.


i am not getting it... (x-2)^2 = x^2 +4-4x == x^2+(x-2)^2 =x^2-2x+2 how did u get this as (x+2)^2 ? i dont understand.. pls correct my mistake here...
User avatar
ipc302
Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Last visit: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 102
Own Kudos:
Location: Milwaukee,WI
Posts: 102
Kudos: 20
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I used the phythagoras theroem which says if a,b,c are sides of a right angle traingle with c as hypotoneous then

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

in the above example x and x-2 are the sides and x+2 as hypotoneous
of a right angle traingle

so i took x ^2 + (x - 2) ^2 = (x +2)^2

also remember the rule for right angle traingle 3,4,5 and its similar ratio 6 8 10 all of these are right angle traingle with 5 and 10 hypotoneous , so in this question they just twisted it by putting x-2,x,x+2 instead of 6,8 ,10 .

one more commonly used figure is 5,12,13

Hope the above helps.
User avatar
Professor
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Last visit: 09 Aug 2011
Posts: 562
Own Kudos:
Posts: 562
Kudos: 184
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
conocieur
joemama142000
what is the area of a right triagle with sides y+2, y, y-2
Got it now: let's have y+2 and y-2 and is a right triangle:

so the values 8-12-20 would satisfy the constrain, a 8-12-20 is of the right triangle family 3-4-5

so Y = 10, and the area 48


i couldnot get your opinion. but the only combination for a right angle triangle that has sides (y-2), y and (y+2) is (6-8-10). so the are area = 1/2(6x8) = 24.
User avatar
joemama142000
Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Last visit: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 645
Own Kudos:
Posts: 645
Kudos: 1,791
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
oa is 24,

thanks guys

My problem was that i did not know which was the hypotenuse
User avatar
Professor
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Last visit: 09 Aug 2011
Posts: 562
Own Kudos:
Posts: 562
Kudos: 184
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
joemama142000
oa is 24, thanks guys. My problem was that i did not know which was the hypotenuse


hypoteneous is always the longest side i.e. y+2.
User avatar
ps_dahiya
Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Last visit: 15 Oct 2019
Posts: 1,486
Own Kudos:
Concentration: Strategy, Entrepreneurship
Schools:Completed at SAID BUSINESS SCHOOL, OXFORD - Class of 2008
Posts: 1,486
Kudos: 1,238
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
y+2 is hypotenuse and other two are sides.

y ^2 + (y - 2) ^2 = (y +2)^2

Solving this we get y = 0 or y = 8 . So y = 8

Then all three sides are 6,8,10.

So area = 1/2 * 6 * 8 = 24



Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Quantitative Questions Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block above for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!