ACT Math : Isosceles Triangles

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

What is the area of an isosceles triangle with a vertex of \displaystyle 120 degrees and two sides equal to \displaystyle 4\:cm?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 12\sqrt{3}\:cm^2

\displaystyle 15\sqrt{2}\:cm^2

\displaystyle 20\:cm^2

\displaystyle 20\sqrt{3}\:cm^2

\displaystyle 4\sqrt{3}\:cm^2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 4\sqrt{3}\:cm^2

Explanation:

Based on the description of your triangle, you can draw the following figure:

_tri71

You can do this because you know:

  1. The two equivalent sides are given.
  2. Since a triangle is \displaystyle 180 degrees, you have only \displaystyle 180-120 or \displaystyle 60 degrees left for the two angles of equal size. Therefore, those two angles must be \displaystyle 30 degrees and \displaystyle 30 degrees.

Now, based on the properties of an isosceles triangle, you can draw the following as well:

_tri72

Based on your standard reference \displaystyle 30-60-90 triangle, you know:

\displaystyle \frac{h}{4}=\frac{1}{2}

Therefore, \displaystyle h is \displaystyle 2.

This means that \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 2\sqrt{3} and the total base of the triangle is \displaystyle 4\sqrt{3}.

Now, the area of the triangle is:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}bh or \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}*2*4\sqrt{3}=4\sqrt{3}\:cm^2

Example Question #1 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

An isosceles triangle has a height of \displaystyle 4 and a base of \displaystyle 7. What is its area?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 24

\displaystyle 28

\displaystyle 17

\displaystyle 14

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 14

Explanation:

Use the formula for area of a triangle:

\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(base)(height)

\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(4)(7)=14

Example Question #2 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

An isosceles triangle has a base length of \displaystyle 10 and a height that is twice its base length. What is the area of this triangle?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 150

\displaystyle 200

\displaystyle 50

\displaystyle 100

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 100

Explanation:

1. Find the height of the triangle:

\displaystyle height=2\cdot base

\displaystyle height=2(10)=20

2. Use the formula for area of a triangle:

\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(b)(h)

\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(10)(20)=100

Example Question #21 : Isosceles Triangles

The height of an isosceles triangle, dropped from the vertex to its base, is one fourth the length of the base. If the area of this triangle is \displaystyle 32\:cm^2, what is its perimeter?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 16+8\sqrt{5}\:cm

\displaystyle 3\sqrt{3}+3\sqrt{5}\:cm

\displaystyle 24\:cm

\displaystyle 12+12\sqrt{6}\:cm

\displaystyle 16+3\sqrt{2}\:cm

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 16+8\sqrt{5}\:cm

Explanation:

Based on the description of this question, you can draw your triangle as such. We can do this thanks to the nature of an isosceles triangle:

_tri41

Now, you know that the area of a triangle is defined as:

\displaystyle A=0.5BH

So, for our data, we can say:

\displaystyle 32=0.5 * 4h^2=2h^2

Solving for \displaystyle h, we get:

\displaystyle 16=h^2

Thus, \displaystyle h=4.

Now, for our little triangle on the right, we can draw:

_tri53

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that the other side is:

\displaystyle \sqrt{8^2+4^2}=\sqrt{64+16}=\sqrt{80}

This can be simplified to:

\displaystyle \sqrt{16*5}=4\sqrt{5}

Now, we know that this side is the "equal" side of the isosceles triangle. Therefore, we can know that the total perimeter is:

\displaystyle 2*4\sqrt{5}+4*4=16+8\sqrt{5}\:cm

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Perimeter Of An Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangle

The base of an isosceles triangle is five times the length of its correlative height. If the area of this triangle is \displaystyle 160\:cm^2, what is its perimeter?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 40+8\sqrt{29}\:cm

\displaystyle 25+4\sqrt{5}\:cm

\displaystyle 20+\sqrt{2}\:cm

\displaystyle 25+\sqrt{15}\:cm

\displaystyle 50+2\sqrt{5}\:cm

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 40+8\sqrt{29}\:cm

Explanation:

Based on the description of this question, you can draw your triangle as such.  We can do this thanks to the nature of an isosceles triangle:

_tri51

Now, you know that the area of a triangle is defined as:

\displaystyle A=0.5BH

So, for our data, we can say:

\displaystyle 160=0.5 * 5h^2=2.5h^2

Solving for \displaystyle h, we get:

\displaystyle 160=2.5h^2

\displaystyle 64=h^2

Thus, \displaystyle h=8.

Now, for our little triangle on the right, we can draw:

_tri54

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that the other side is:

\displaystyle \sqrt{8^2+20^2}=\sqrt{64+400}=\sqrt{464}

This can be simplified to:

\displaystyle \sqrt{16*29}=4\sqrt{29}

Now, we know that this side is the "equal" side of the isosceles triangle. Therefore, we can know that the total perimeter is:

\displaystyle 2*4\sqrt{29}+5*8=40+8\sqrt{29}

Example Question #1 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

What is the area of an isosceles triangle with a vertex of \displaystyle 120 degrees and two sides equal to \displaystyle 30 units?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 450\:units^2

\displaystyle 150\sqrt{2}\:units^2

\displaystyle 225\sqrt{3}\:units^2

\displaystyle 75\sqrt{5}\:units^2

\displaystyle 120\sqrt{3}\:units^2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 225\sqrt{3}\:units^2

Explanation:

Based on the description of your triangle, you can draw the following figure:

_tri91

You can do this because you know:

  1. The two equivalent sides are given.
  2. Since a triangle is \displaystyle 180 degrees, you have only \displaystyle 180-120 or \displaystyle 60 degrees left for the two angles of equal size. Therefore, those two angles must be \displaystyle 30 degrees and \displaystyle 30 degrees. 

Now, based on the properties of an isosceles triangle, you can draw the following as well:

_tri92

Based on your standard reference \displaystyle 30-60-90 triangle, you know:

\displaystyle \frac{h}{30}=\frac{1}{2}

Therefore, \displaystyle h is \displaystyle 15.

This means that \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 15\sqrt{3}, and the total base of the triangle is \displaystyle 30\sqrt{3}.

Now, the area of the triangle is:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}bh or \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}*15*30\sqrt{3}=225\sqrt{3}\:units^2 

Example Question #4 : Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangles

What is the perimeter of an isosceles triangle with a vertex of \displaystyle 120 degrees and two sides equal to \displaystyle 15\:cm

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 30+90\sqrt{3}\:cm

\displaystyle 45\:cm

\displaystyle 30+20\sqrt{3}\:cm

\displaystyle 90\:cm

\displaystyle 30+15\sqrt{3}\:cm

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 30+15\sqrt{3}\:cm

Explanation:

Based on the description of your triangle, you can draw the following figure:

_tri81

You can do this because you know:

  1. The two equivalent sides are given.
  2. Since a triangle is \displaystyle 180 degrees, you have only \displaystyle 180-120 or \displaystyle 60 degrees left for the two angles of equal size. Therefore, those two angles must be \displaystyle 30 degrees and \displaystyle 30 degrees.

Now, based on the properties of an isosceles triangle, you can draw the following as well:

_tri82

Based on your standard reference \displaystyle 30-60-90 triangle, you know:

\displaystyle \frac{h}{15}=\frac{1}{2}

Therefore, \displaystyle h is \displaystyle 7.5.

This means that \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 7.5\sqrt{3} and the total base of the triangle is \displaystyle 15\sqrt{3}.

Therefore, the perimeter of the triangle is:

\displaystyle 15+15+15\sqrt{3}=30+15\sqrt{3}\:cm

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Of Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangle Are Similar

Triangle A and Triangle B are similar isosceles triangles. Triangle A's sides measure \displaystyle 9cm\displaystyle 9cm, and \displaystyle 5cm. Two of the angles in Triangle A each measure \displaystyle \small 83^o. Triangle B's sides measure \displaystyle 18cm\displaystyle 18cm, and \displaystyle 10cm. What is the measure of the smallest angle in Triangle B?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \small 166^o

\displaystyle \small 14^o

\displaystyle \small 77^o

\displaystyle \small 26^o

\displaystyle \small 28^o

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \small 14^o

Explanation:

Because the interior angles of a triangle add up to \displaystyle \small 180^o, and two of Triangle A's interior angles measure \displaystyle \small 83^o, we must simply add the two given angles and subtract from \displaystyle \small 180^o to find the missing angle:

\displaystyle \small 83^o+83^o=166^o

\displaystyle \small 180^o-166^o=14^o

Therefore, the missing angle (and the smallest) from Triangle A measures \displaystyle \small 14^o. If the two triangles are similar, their interior angles must be congruent, meaning that the smallest angle is Triangle B is also \displaystyle \small 14^o.

The side measurements presented in the question are not needed to find the answer!

Example Question #2 : How To Find If Of Acute / Obtuse Isosceles Triangle Are Similar

Triangle A and Triangle B are similar isosceles triangles. Triangle A has a base of \displaystyle 6cm and a height of \displaystyle 4cm. Triangle B has a base of \displaystyle 12cm. What is the length of Triangle B's two congruent sides?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 10cm

\displaystyle 15cm

\displaystyle 5cm

\displaystyle 16cm

\displaystyle 8cm

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 10cm

Explanation:

We must first find the length of the congruent sides in Triangle A. We do this by setting up a right triangle with the base and the height, and using the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the missing side (\displaystyle \small c). Because the height line cuts the base in half, however, we must use \displaystyle 3cm for the length of the base's side in the equation instead of \displaystyle 6cm. This is illustrated in the figure below:

Triangle a

Using the base of \displaystyle \small 3cm and the height of \displaystyle \small 4cm, we use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for \displaystyle \small c:

\displaystyle \small 3^2+4^2=c^2

\displaystyle \small 9+16=c^2

\displaystyle \small 25=c^2

\displaystyle \small c=5

Therefore, the two congruent sides of Triangle A measure \displaystyle \small 5cm; however, the question asks for the two congruent sides of Triangle B. In similar triangles, the ratio of the corresponding sides must be equal. We know that the base of Triangle A is \displaystyle 6cm and the base of Triangle B is \displaystyle 12cm. We then set up a cross-multiplication using the ratio of the two bases and the ratio of \displaystyle \small c to the side we're trying to find (\displaystyle \small x), as follows:

\displaystyle \small \frac{6}{12}=\frac{5}{x}

\displaystyle \small 6x=60

\displaystyle \small x=10

Therefore, the length of the congruent sides of Triangle B is \displaystyle 10cm.

Example Question #221 : Geometry

Isosceles triangles \displaystyle \Delta ABC and \displaystyle \Delta ABD share common side \displaystyle AB\displaystyle \Delta ABC is an obtuse triangle with sides \displaystyle 7, 7, 13\displaystyle \Delta ABD is also an obtuse isosceles triangle, where \displaystyle AB = 13. What is the measure of \displaystyle \angle AD?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order to prove triangle congruence, the triangles must have SAS, SSS, AAS, or ASA congruence. Here, we have one common side (S), and no other demonstrated congruence. Hence, we cannot guarantee that side \displaystyle AB is not one of the two congruent sides of \displaystyle \Delta ABD, so we cannot state congruence with \displaystyle \Delta ABC.

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