GMAT Math : Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Calculating The Height Of A Right Triangle

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\displaystyle ABC is a right isosceles triangle, with height \displaystyle AD\displaystyle AC=5, what is the length of the height \displaystyle AD?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{4}

\displaystyle 5\sqrt{2}

\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}

\displaystyle \sqrt{2}

\displaystyle \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}

Explanation:

Since here ABC is a isosceles right triangle, its height is half the size of the hypotenuse.

We just need to apply the Pythagorean Theorem to get the length of BC, and divide this length by two.

 \displaystyle BC^{2}=AB^{2}+AC^{2}, so \displaystyle BC=\sqrt{50}.

Therefore, \displaystyle BC=5\sqrt{2} and the final answer is  \displaystyle \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}.

Example Question #1 : Calculating An Angle In A Right Triangle

Of the two acute angles of a right triangle, one measures fifteen degrees less than twice the other. What is the measure of the smaller of the two angles?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 35^{\circ }

\displaystyle 20^{\circ }

\displaystyle 25^{\circ }

\displaystyle 40^{\circ }

\displaystyle 30^{\circ }

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 35^{\circ }

Explanation:

Let one of the angles measure \displaystyle x; then the other angle measures \displaystyle 2x - 15. The sum of the measures of the acute angles of a triangle is \displaystyle 90^{\circ }, so we can set up and solve this equation:

\displaystyle x+ 2x - 15 = 90

\displaystyle 3x - 15 = 90

\displaystyle 3x =105

\displaystyle x = 35

\displaystyle 2x - 15 = 2 \cdot 30 - 15 = 55 ^{\circ }

The acute angles measure \displaystyle 35^{\circ },55 ^{\circ }; since we want the smaller of the two, \displaystyle 35^{\circ } is the correct choice.

Example Question #1 : Calculating An Angle In A Right Triangle

For a certain right triangle, the angle between the base and the hypotenuse is 36 degrees. What is the measure of the only remaining unknown angle?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 45^{\circ}

\displaystyle 54^{\circ}

\displaystyle 36^{\circ}

\displaystyle 27^{\circ}

\displaystyle 144^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 54^{\circ}

Explanation:

By definition, one of the angles of a right triangle must be 90 degrees. We are given the measure of another angle in the problem, so we now know the measure of two angles in the triangle. Because the sum of the angles of any triangle is 180 degrees, we can then solve for the measure of the only remaining unknown angle:

\displaystyle 90^{\circ}+36^{\circ}+x=180^{\circ}

\displaystyle x=180^{\circ}-90^{\circ}-36^{\circ}

\displaystyle x=54^{\circ}

Example Question #532 : Problem Solving Questions

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Right triangle \displaystyle ABC has length \displaystyle AC=\sqrt{3} and \displaystyle BA=3. How many degrees is angle \displaystyle B?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 35^{\circ}

\displaystyle 50^{\circ}

\displaystyle 30^{\circ}

\displaystyle 40^{\circ}

\displaystyle 45^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 30^{\circ}

Explanation:

For any right triangle, whose sides are in ratio \displaystyle n, \sqrt{3}n, 2n, where \displaystyle n is a constant, its angles must be \displaystyle 60^{\circ} and \displaystyle 30^{\circ}. Here the triangle has its sides in that ratio with \displaystyle n=\sqrt{3}. Therefore, angle B must be the smallest angle, \displaystyle 30^{\circ}, since it is the angle between the two longest sides. This rule is really useful on the test, and it is advised to memorize it!

Example Question #533 : Problem Solving Questions

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Triangle \displaystyle ABC is a right triangle, with \displaystyle AB=AC. What is the size of angle \displaystyle \widehat{BCA}?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 44^{\circ}

\displaystyle 43^{\circ}

\displaystyle 46^{\circ}

\displaystyle 45^{\circ}

\displaystyle 40^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 45^{\circ}

Explanation:

Triangle ABC is an isosceles right triangle. Therefore, its angles at the basis BC will always be \displaystyle 45^{\circ}.

This stems from the fact that the sums of the angles of a triangle are \displaystyle 180^{\circ} and in our case with ABC a right and isosceles triangle, \displaystyle 180-90=90^{\circ}, therefore for the two remaining angles are equal.

There are 90 degrees left, therefore to find the measure of each angle we do the following,

 \displaystyle \frac{90}{2}=45^{\circ}

Example Question #534 : Problem Solving Questions

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\displaystyle ABC is a right triangle, with sides \displaystyle AB=3, AC=\sqrt{3}. What is the size of angle \displaystyle \widehat{ACB}?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 28^{\circ}

\displaystyle 33^{\circ}

\displaystyle 35^{\circ}

\displaystyle 37^{\circ}

\displaystyle 60^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 60^{\circ}

Explanation:

Here, we can tell the size of the angles by recognizing the length of the sides indicative of a right triangle with angles \displaystyle 30^{\circ}-60^{\circ}-90^{\circ}.

Indeed, the length of the sides are \displaystyle \sqrt{3} and \displaystyle 3. Any triangle with sides \displaystyle n,n\sqrt{3},2n, where \displaystyle n is a constant, will have angles \displaystyle 30^{\circ}-60^{\circ}-90^{\circ}.

In our case \displaystyle n=\sqrt3. Therefore, angle \displaystyle \widehat{CBA} will be the smallest of the three possible angles, since it is between the two longest sides ( the hypotenuse and AB, which is longer than AC). Therefore the larger angle \displaystyle \widehat{ACB} will be \displaystyle 60^\circ thus arriving at our final answer.

Example Question #535 : Problem Solving Questions

Given a right triangle \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC with right angle \displaystyle \angle B, what is the measure of \displaystyle \angle A?

Statement 1: \displaystyle m \angle A - m \angle C = 10^{\circ }

Statement 2: \displaystyle 4 \cdot m \angle A = 5 \cdot m \angle C

Possible Answers:

EITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER do NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

STATEMENT 1 ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question, but STATEMENT 2 ALONE does NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

STATEMENT 2 ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question, but STATEMENT 1 ALONE does NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER provide sufficient information to answer the question, but NEITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

Correct answer:

EITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

Explanation:

Let \displaystyle X be the measure of \displaystyle \angle A. The sum of the measures of the acute angles of a right triangle, \displaystyle \angle A and \displaystyle \angle C, is \displaystyle 90^{\circ }, so

\displaystyle m \angle A + m \angle C = 90^{\circ }

\displaystyle X + m \angle C = 90^{\circ }

\displaystyle X + m \angle C -X = 90^{\circ } -X

\displaystyle m \angle C = 90^{\circ } -X

 

Assume Statement 1 alone. This can be rewritten:

\displaystyle m \angle A - m \angle C = 10^{\circ }

\displaystyle X - (90^{\circ } -X) = 10^{\circ }

\displaystyle 2 X - 90^{\circ }= 10^{\circ }

\displaystyle 2 X - 90^{\circ }+ 90^{\circ } = 10^{\circ } + 90^{\circ }

\displaystyle 2 X = 10 0^{\circ }

\displaystyle 2 X \div 2 = 10 0^{\circ } \div 2

\displaystyle X = 50^{\circ }

 

Assume Statement 2 alone. This can be rewritten:

\displaystyle 4 \cdot m \angle A = 5 \cdot m \angle C

\displaystyle 4 X = 5 (90^{\circ }-X)

\displaystyle 4 X = 450 ^{\circ }-5X

\displaystyle 4 X+ 5X = 450 ^{\circ }-5X + 5X

\displaystyle 9X = 450 ^{\circ }

\displaystyle 9X\div 9 = 450 ^{\circ } \div 9

\displaystyle X = 50^{\circ }

Example Question #1 : Calculating An Angle In A Right Triangle

A right triangle \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC with right angle \displaystyle \angle B; all of its interior angles have degree measures that are whole numbers. What is the measure of \displaystyle \angle A?

Statement 1: \displaystyle m \angle A is a multiple of 2 and 7.

Statement 2: \displaystyle m \angle A is a multiple of 3 and 4.

Possible Answers:

BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER do NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER provide sufficient information to answer the question, but NEITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

STATEMENT 2 ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question, but STATEMENT 1 ALONE does NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

STATEMENT 1 ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question, but STATEMENT 2 ALONE does NOT provide sufficient information to answer the question.

EITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

Correct answer:

BOTH STATEMENTS TOGETHER provide sufficient information to answer the question, but NEITHER STATEMENT ALONE provides sufficient information to answer the question.

Explanation:

An acute angle must have measure less than \displaystyle 90^{\circ }.

Assume Statement 1 alone. We are looking for a whole number that is a multiple of both 2 and 7, and is less than 90. There are several such numbers - 14 and 28, for example. There is no way of eliminating any of them, so the question is left unanswered.

Statement 2 alone provides insufficient information for similar reasons, since there are several whole numbers less than 90 that are multiples of 3 and 4 - 12 and 24, for example - with no way of eliminating any of them.

Now assume both statements to be true. 3, 4, and 7 are relatively prime - the greatest common factor of the four is 1 - so in order to find the least common multiple of the four, we need to multiply them. This product is

\displaystyle 3 \cdot 4 \cdot 7 = 84,

which is also a multiple of 2. Any other multiple of all four numbers must be a  multiple of 84, but any other positive multiple of 84 is greater than 90. Therefore, from the two statements together, it can be deduced that \displaystyle \angle A has measure \displaystyle 84^{\circ }.

Example Question #537 : Problem Solving Questions

The measures of the acute angles of a right triangle are  \displaystyle x^{\circ } and \displaystyle y^{\circ }. Also, 

\displaystyle x - y = 15.

Evaluate \displaystyle x.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle x = 37 \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle x = 97 \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle x = 52 \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle x = 82 \frac{1}{2}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle x = 52 \frac{1}{2}

Explanation:

The measures of the acute angles of a right triangle have sum \displaystyle 90^{\circ }, so

\displaystyle x+y = 90

Along with \displaystyle x - y = 15, a system of linear equations can be formed and solved as follows:

\displaystyle x - y = 15

\displaystyle \underline{x+y = 90}

\displaystyle 2x \; \; \; = 105

\displaystyle 2x \div 2 = 105 \div 2

\displaystyle x = 52 \frac{1}{2}

Example Question #1 : Equilateral Triangles

If an equilateral triangle has a perimeter of \displaystyle 18, what is the length of each side?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 9

Cannot be determined

\displaystyle 6

\displaystyle 4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 6

Explanation:

An equilateral triangle has three equal sides; therefore, to find the length of each side, divide the perimeter by \displaystyle 3:

\displaystyle \frac{18}{3}= 6

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