In △ABC with a right angle at C, point D lies in the interior of AB and point E lies in the interior of BC so that AC=CD,DE=EB, and the ratio AC:DE=4:3. What is the ratio AD:DB?
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Solution
Scale the figure so that AC=CD=4 and DE=EB=3. Let A=∠BAC and B=∠ABC, so A+B=90∘.
The isosceles triangles ACD and DEB give ∠CDA=A and ∠EDB=B. Because DA and DB are opposite rays, ∠CDE=180∘−A−B=90∘. Therefore CE=42+32=5, so BC=CE+EB=8 and tanA=ACBC=2.
The bases of the two isosceles triangles have lengths AD=8cosA and BD=6cosB=6sinA. Hence BDAD=6sinA8cosA=3tanA4=32.
Thus, the answer is A .