\documentclass[h4paper]{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{tikz} \begin{document} \title{Find the Diameter} \author{Amit Yaron} \maketitle Here's one nice problem from YouTube I haven't watched yet and am not going to watch. The solver in the video is MathBooster. My way to deal with the problem is to draw the most precise diagram I can. So, first I'll solve it, and then I'll draw it. \subsection*{Description of the Problem} There's a semi circle, and the end points of its diameter's chord are A and D. Along the semi-circles's arc, there are also points B and C, sych that: \begin{align*} &AB=BC=15\\ &CD=7 \end {align*} Let us add the point $O$ oin the middle of $AD$, so \[ OA=OD \] is a radius of the semi-circle, let us call it $r$. So, \[ r=OA=OB=OC=OD \] \section*{Adding Angles} Now, let $\theta=\angle AOB$ \\ So, we have: \begin{align*} &OA=OB\\ &OB=OC\\ &AB=BC=15\\ \end{align*} Thus, we have 2 congruent triangles: \[ \triangle AOB \cong \triangle BOC \] which means that: \[ \angle AOB = \angle BOC = \theta \] And: \[ \angle AOB + \angle BOC + \angle COD = 180^{\circ} \] which means that: \[ \angle COD = 180^{\circ}-\angle BOC - \angle AOB=180^{\circ}-2\theta \] And knowing that $CD=7$, it's time to choose the trigonometric identity to use: in this case, the cosine law. \subsection*{Using the Cosine Law} In triangle $\triangle AOB$: \begin{align} &AB^2=AO^2+BO^2-2AO\cdot BO\cos(\angle AOB)\Rightarrow\nonumber\\ \Rightarrow &15^2=r^2+r^2-2r^2\cos(\theta)\Rightarrow\nonumber\\ \Rightarrow &15^2=2r^2(1-\cos(\theta)) \end{align} and in triangle $\triangle COD$: \begin{align} &CD^2=CO^2+DO^2-2CO\cdot DO\cos(\angle COD)\Rightarrow\nonumber\\ \Rightarrow &7^2=r^2+r^2-2r^2\cos(180^{\circ}-2\theta)\Rightarrow\nonumber\\ \Rightarrow &7^2=2r^2(1-\cos(180^{\circ}-2\theta)\Rightarrow\nonumber\\ \Rightarrow &7^2=2r^2(1+\cos(2\theta)) \end{align} For convenience, let us define $t=\cos(\theta)$, then: \[ \cos(2\theta)=\cos^2(\theta)-\sin^2(\theta)=\cos^2(\theta)-1+\cos^2(\theta)= 2\cos^2(\theta)-1=2t^2-1 \] Let us plug it into (1) and (2) and form the following system: \[\begin{cases} 15^2=2r^2(1-t)\\ 7^2=2r^2(2t^2) \end{cases}\] Let us divide by $2r^2$m then: \[\begin{cases} 1-t=\frac{225}{2r^2}\\ 2t^2=\frac{49}{2r^2} \end{cases}\] Multiply yhe first equation by 49 and the second by 225" \[\begin{cases} 49-49t=\frac{49\cdot225}{2r^2}\\ 450t^2=\frac{49\cdot225}{2r^2} \end{cases}\] From both, we get that: \begin{align*} &450t^2=49-49t\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &450t^2+49t-49=0\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49^2-4\cdot450\cdot(-49)}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49^2+4\cdot450\cdot(49)}}{900}\Rightarrow \\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49^2+2\cdot900\cdot(49)}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49(49+2\cdot900}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49\cdot1849}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{49(1600+249)}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{7^2(1600+240+9)}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{7^2(40^2+2\cdot40\cdot3+3^2)}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{7^2(40+3)^2}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm\sqrt{7^2\cdot43^2}}{900}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &t=\frac{-49\pm7\cdot43}{900} \end{align*} Now, $t$ is the cosine of an acute angle, thus it is positive. So, \[ t=\frac{-49+7\cdot43}{900}=\frac{7\cdot43-7^2}{900}=\frac{7\cdot36}{900}= \frac{7\cdot4\cdot9}{25\cdot4\cdot9}=\frac7{25} \] Let us find $r$, from (1): \begin{align*} &15^2=2r^2(1-t)\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow&15^2=2r^2\big(1-\frac7{25}\big)=2r^2\big(\frac{18}{25}\big)\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow&15^2=\frac{36r^2}{25}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow&15^2=\frac{(6r)^2}{5^2}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow&\frac{6r}5=15\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow& r=\frac{75}{6}=\frac{25}2 \end{align*} And the diameter is twice the radius, thus the answer is 25. Now, let us draw the semi-circle with the chords. It is easy to do so with package "tikz". Using the library "tikzmath", you can even define variables and use mathematical functions. \\ Following is a picture of the semi-circle and chords with their lengths: \\ \\ \usetikzlibrary{math} \tikzmath{ \d=12.5; \r=\d/2; \ang=acos(0.28); \xa=\d; \ya=0; \xd=0; \yd=0; \xb=\r+\r*cos(\ang); \yb=\r*sin(\ang); \xc=\r+\r*cos(2*\ang); \yc=\r*sin(2*\ang); % % Adding text nodes \tABx = (\xa+\xb)/2-0.15; \tABy = (\ya+\yb)/2-0.1; \tBCx = (\xb+\xc)/2-0.16; \tBCy = (\yb+\yc)/2-0.17; \tCDx = (\xc+\xd)/2+0.1; \tCDy = (\yc+\yd)/2; } \begin{tikzpicture} \coordinate(A) at (\xa,\ya); \coordinate (D) at (\xd,\yd); \draw (D)--(A); \draw(A) arc(0:180:\r); \coordinate (B) at (\xb,\yb); \draw(A)--(B); \coordinate(C) at (\xc,\yc); \draw (B) -- (C); \draw (C) -- (D); % Add text nodes \node (tAB) at (\tABx,\tABy) {15}; \node (tBC) at (\tBCx,\tBCy) {15}; \node (tCD) at (\tCDx,\tCDy) {7}; \end{tikzpicture} \\ That's a good place to start solving without trigoometric function. Let us copy the picture and add some lines and points to it:\\ \\ \tikzmath{ \xo=\r; \yo=0; \tOx=\r; \tOy=-0.15; \tAx = \xa; \tAy = -0.15; \tDx = \xd; \tDy = -0.15; \tBx = \xb; \tBy = \yb+0.15; \tCx = \xc-0.1; \tCy = \yc+0.15; \tOAx = (\xo + \xa) / 2; \tOAy = -0.15; \tODx = (\xo + \xd) / 2; \tODy = -0.15; \tOBx = (\xo + \xb) / 2-0.1; \tOBy = (\yo + \yb) / 2; \tOCx = (\xo + \xc) / 2; \tOCy = (\yo + \yc) / 2-0.1; } \begin{tikzpicture} \draw (D)--(A); \draw(\d,0) arc(0:180:\r); \draw(A)--(B); \draw (B) -- (C); \draw (C) -- (D); \coordinate (O) at (\xo,\yo); \draw (O) -- (B); \draw (O) -- (C); % Add text nodes \draw (tAB) node {15}; \draw (tBC) node {15}; \draw (tCD) node {7}; \node (tO) at (\tOx, \tOy) {O}; \node (tA) at (\tAx, \tAy) {A}; \node (tD) at (\tDx, \tDy) {D}; \node (tB) at (\tBx, \tBy) {B}; \node (tC) at (\tCx, \tCy) {C}; \node (tOA) at (\tOAx,\tOAy) {r}; \node (tOD) at (\tODx,\tODy) {r}; \node (tOB) at (\tOBx,\tOBy) {r}; \node (tOC) at (\tOCx,\tOCy) {r}; \end{tikzpicture} Now, $O$ is the origin, that is the point where you pin the compass to draw an arc, and $A,B,C,D$ are points along the arc, such that $AD$ is the diameter and $OA=OB=OC=OD$, let us call their values "$r$". \\ Also, let us copy the picture once again, and add the line $AC$. That will create the angle $\angle ACD$, which is an inscribed angle opposite the diameter and thus a right angle. $AC$ will also intersect with a common side of two congruent triangle, thus more useful right angles will be created. \\ \\ \tikzmath{ \xp = (\xa + \xc) / 2; \yp = (\ya + \yc) / 2; \tPx = \xp + 0.1; \tPy = \yp + 0.1; \tOPx = (\xo + \xp) / 2-0.1; \tOPy = (\yo + \yp) / 2; \tPAx = (\xp + \xa) /2; \tPAy = (\yp + \ya) / 2 -0.1; \tPCx = (\xp + \xc) /2; \tPCy = (\yp + \yc) / 2 -0.1; } \begin{tikzpicture} \draw (D)--(A); \draw(\d,0) arc(0:180:\r); \draw(A)--(B); \draw (B) -- (C); \draw (C) -- (D); \coordinate (O) at (\xo,\yo); \draw (O) -- (B); \draw (O) -- (C); % Add text nodes \draw (tAB) node {15}; \draw (tBC) node {15}; \draw (tCD) node {7}; \draw (tO) node {O}; \draw (tA) node {A}; \draw (tD) node {D}; \draw (tB) node {B}; \draw (tC) node {C}; \draw (tOA) node {r}; \draw (tOD) node {r}; \draw (tOB) node {r}; \draw (tOC) node {r}; \draw (A) -- (C); \node (tP) at (\tPx,\tPy){P}; \node (tOP) at (\tOPx,\tOPy) {a}; \node (tPA) at (\tPAx,\tPAy) {b}; \node (tPC) at (\tPCx,\tPCy) {b}; \end{tikzpicture} Now, because \[ \triangle BOA \cong \triangle BOC \] we get that \[ \angle POC=\angle BOC = \angle BOA = \angle POA \] and $PO$ is a common side, and $OA=OC$. Thus, \[ \triangle OPA \cong \triangle OPC \] Which means that $PA=PC$,and because P is on $AC$: \[ \angle OPA=\angle OPC=90^{\circ} \] Let $a=OP, b=AP=PC$, then since $OA$ is the hypotenuse of $\triangle APO$: \begin{equation} r^2=(OA)^2=a^2+b^2 \end{equation} That also means that $\angle BPO = 90^{\circ}$\\ and $BP=OB-OP=r-1$, thus: \begin{equation} 15^2=(r-a)^2+b^2 \end{equation} Last, but not least:\\ because $\angle ACD$ is an inscribed angle opposite the diameter: \[ \angle ACD=90^{\circ} \] Thus, \begin{equation} (2r)^2=(AD)^2=(AC)^2+(CD)^2=(2b)^2+7^2 \end{equation} Now, since $\frac{AP}{AC}=\frac{AO}{OD}=\frac{1}{2}$, it also means by proportional sections that: \[ \frac{PO}{CD}=\frac{a}7=\frac12\Rightarrow a=\frac72 \] Let us plug $a=\frac72$ into equation (3): \begin{equation} r^2=\bigg(\frac72\bigg)^2+b^2 \end{equation} Multiply equation (6) by 4: \begin{equation} (2r)^2=7^2+(2b)^2 \end{equation} Same as (5), but with (4): \begin{equation} 4\cdot15^2=(2r-7)^2+(2b)^2\Rightarrow 30^2=(2r)^2-2\cdot7\cdot2r+7^2+(2b)^2 \end{equation} From (7), plug $(2b)^2=(2r)^2-7^2$ into (8): \begin{align*} &30^2=2\cdot(2r)^2-2\cdot7\cdot2r\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow & 2\cdot(2r)^2-14\cdot2r-900=0\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2-4\cdot2\cdot(-900)}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2+7200}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2+72\cdot100}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2+72(72+28)}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2+72^2+28\cdot72}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{14^2+72^2+2\cdot14\cdot72}}{4}\Rightarrow\\ \Rightarrow &2r=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{(72+14)^2}}{4}=\frac{14\pm\sqrt{86^2}}{4}=\frac{14\pm86}4 \end{align*} But $2r$ is a diameter, so it cannot be negative, thus, \[\boxed{2r=\frac{14+86}{4}=\frac{100}4=25}\] \end{document}