ACT Math : Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Points A, B, C, D are collinear. The measure of ∠ DCE is 130° and of ∠ AEC is 80°. Find the measure of ∠ EAD.

Screen_shot_2013-03-18_at_3.27.08_pm

Possible Answers:

80°

70°

50°

60°

Correct answer:

50°

Explanation:

To solve this question, you need to remember that the sum of the angles in a triangle is 180°. You also need to remember supplementary angles. If you know what ∠ DCE is, you also know what ∠ ECA is. Hence you know two angles of the triangle, 180°-80°-50°= 50°. 

Example Question #1 : How To Find An Angle In An Acute / Obtuse Triangle

Triangles

Points A, B, and C are collinear (they lie along the same line). The measure of angle CAD is 30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\). The measure of angle CBD is 60^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\). The length of segment \overline{AD}\(\displaystyle \overline{AD}\) is 4.

Find the measure of \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\).

Possible Answers:

60^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\)

30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\)

15^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 15^{\circ}\)

90^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 90^{\circ}\)

45^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 45^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

The measure of \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\) is 30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\). Since \dpi{100} \small A\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small A\), \dpi{100} \small B\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small B\), and \dpi{100} \small C\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small C\) are collinear, and the measure of \dpi{100} \small \angle CBD\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small \angle CBD\) is 60^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ}\), we know that the measure of \dpi{100} \small \angle ABD\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small \angle ABD\) is 120^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 120^{\circ}\).

Because the measures of the three angles in a triangle must add up to 180^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 180^{\circ}\), and two of the angles in triangle \dpi{100} \small ABD\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small ABD\) are 30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\) and 120^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 120^{\circ}\), the third angle, \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small \angle ADB\), is 30^{\circ}\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ}\).

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Congruent

Observe the following image and answer the question below:

Triangles

Are triangles \(\displaystyle ABC\) and \(\displaystyle DEF\) congruent?

Possible Answers:

Yes

Maybe

Not enough information to decide.

No

Correct answer:

Yes

Explanation:

Two triangles are only congruent if all of their sides are the same length, and all of the corresponding angles are of the same degree. Luckily, we only need three of these six numbers to completely determine the others, as long as we have at least one angle and one side, and any other combination of the other numbers.

In this case, we have two adjacent angles and one side, directly across from one of our angles in both triangles. This can be called the AAS case. We can see from our picture that all of our angles match, and the two sides match as well. They're all in the same position relative to each other on the triangle, so that is enough information to say that the two triangles are congruent.

Example Question #3 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Two similiar triangles have a ratio of perimeters of 7:2\(\displaystyle 7:2\).

If the smaller triangle has sides of 3, 7, and 5, what is the perimeter of the larger triangle.

Possible Answers:

50.5\(\displaystyle 50.5\)

52.5\(\displaystyle 52.5\)

49.5\(\displaystyle 49.5\)

48.5\(\displaystyle 48.5\)

51.5\(\displaystyle 51.5\)

Correct answer:

52.5\(\displaystyle 52.5\)

Explanation:

Adding the sides gives a perimeter of 15 for the smaller triangle. Multipying by the given ratio of \frac{7}{2}\(\displaystyle \frac{7}{2}\), yields 52.5.

Example Question #2 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Two similiar triangles exist where the ratio of perimeters is 4:5 for the smaller to the larger triangle. If the larger triangle has sides of 6, 7, and 12 inches, what is the perimeter, in inches, of the smaller triangle?

Possible Answers:

25

18

20

23

Correct answer:

20

Explanation:

The larger triangle has a perimeter of 25 inches. Therefore, using a 4:5 ratio, the smaller triangle's perimeter will be 20 inches.

Example Question #4 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Two similar triangles' perimeters are in a ratio of \(\displaystyle 2:5\). If the lengths of the larger triangle's sides are \(\displaystyle 14\), \(\displaystyle 18\), and \(\displaystyle 24\), what is the perimeter of the smaller triangle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 21.6\)

\(\displaystyle 22.4\)

\(\displaystyle 22.8\)

\(\displaystyle 21.4\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 22.4\)

Explanation:

1. Find the perimeter of the larger triangle:

\(\displaystyle 14+18+24=56\)

2. Use the given ratio to find the perimeter of the smaller triangle:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{5}=\frac{x}{56}\)

Cross multiply and solve:

\(\displaystyle (2)(56)=5x\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{112}{5}=x=22.4\)

Example Question #173 : Plane Geometry

There are two similar triangles. Their perimeters are in a ratio of \(\displaystyle 7:9\). If the perimeter of the smaller triangle is \(\displaystyle 16.8\), what is the perimeter of the larger triangle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 22.4\)

\(\displaystyle 22.2\)

\(\displaystyle 21.6\)

\(\displaystyle 21.2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 21.6\)

Explanation:

Use proportions to solve for the perimeter of the larger triangle:

\(\displaystyle \frac{7}{9}=\frac{16.8}{x}\)

Cross multiply and solve:

\(\displaystyle (9)(16.8)=7x\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{151.2}{7}=x=21.6\)

Example Question #11 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

Two similar triangles have perimeteres in the ratio \(\displaystyle 4:5\). The sides of the smaller triangle measure \(\displaystyle 3m\), \(\displaystyle 4m\), and \(\displaystyle 5m\) respectively. What is the perimeter, in meters, of the larger triangle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 18\)

\(\displaystyle 15\)

\(\displaystyle 36\)

\(\displaystyle 12\)

\(\displaystyle 16\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 15\)

Explanation:

Since the perimeter of the smaller triangle is \(\displaystyle 3m + 4m + 5m = 12m\), and since the larger triangle has a perimeter in the \(\displaystyle 4:5\) ratio, we can set up the following identity, where \(\displaystyle x=\) the perimeter of the larger triangle:

 

\(\displaystyle \frac{12}{x} = \frac{4}5{}\)

 

In cross multiplying this identity, we get \(\displaystyle 4x = 60\). We can now solve for \(\displaystyle x\). Here, \(\displaystyle x=15\), so the perimeter of the larger triangle is \(\displaystyle 15m\).

Example Question #174 : Plane Geometry

_tri11

What is the value of \(\displaystyle x\) in the triangle above? Round to the nearest hundredth.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 91.41\)

\(\displaystyle 59.09\)

\(\displaystyle 71.31\)

Cannot be calculated

\(\displaystyle 100\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 59.09\)

Explanation:

Begin by filling in the missing angle for your triangle. Since a triangle has a total of \(\displaystyle 180\) degrees, you know that the missing angle is:

\(\displaystyle 180-50-30=100\)

Draw out the figure:

_tri12

Now, to solve this, you will need some trigonometry. Use the Law of Sines to calculate the value:

\(\displaystyle \frac{sin(30)}{30}=\frac{sin(100)}{x}\)

Solving for \(\displaystyle x\), you get:

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{30sin(100)}{sin(30)}=59.0884651807326...\)

Rounding, this is \(\displaystyle 59.09\).

Example Question #171 : Geometry

The base of a triangle is \(\displaystyle 8\ cm\) and the area is \(\displaystyle 48\ cm^2\).  The height of the triangle is then decreased by \(\displaystyle 75\%\). What is the final area of the triangle? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 9\ cm\)

\(\displaystyle 5\ cm\)

\(\displaystyle 12\ cm\)

\(\displaystyle 3\ cm\)

\(\displaystyle 8\ cm\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 12\ cm\)

Explanation:

The formula for the area of a triangle is

 \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}b \times h\) .

If the area is equal to 48 cm2 and the base is 8 cm, then the initial height is: 

\(\displaystyle 48 = \frac{1}{2} \times 8 \times h\)

\(\displaystyle h = 12\)

If 12 is decreased by 75% then

\(\displaystyle 12 \times .75 = 9\), and \(\displaystyle 12 - 9 =3\). The final height is 3 cm.

Therefore the final area is

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}\times 8\times 3=12\).

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