Paul ([info]happyfunpaul) wrote,
@ 2009-01-25 20:42:00
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that (unintentionally) tricky geometry problem
(I can't show you the diagram, alas, but I can describe it well enough that you can probably draw it yourself:)
There is a plane E (lying flat).
In the plane are points A, B, and C.
A, B, and C form a triangle, with B "closest" to us, A at back left, and C at back right. In the diagram, the triangle appears approximately equilateral (but don't trust those apparent dimensions or angles).
Draw line segments AB, BC, and (dotted 'cause it's in back) AC.
Point H lies on segment AC.
Point D is not in plane E, it's "above" it, directly (?) over point H.
Draw (dotted) line segment DH.
Draw line segments AD, BD, and CD to complete a picture of a tetrahedral pyramid.

In this figure, points A, B, C, and H are in plane E.
AD is perpendicular to AB.
BC is perpendicular to CD.
DH is perpendicular to AC.
AC is perpendicular to CB.
Which segment and which plane are perpendicular?
(a) DH and plane E
(b) AD and plane E
(c) AB and plane ADC
(d) BC and plane ADC


(Keep in mind the theorem that "If a line is perpendicular to two distinct lines (or line segments) that lie in a plane and that pass through its foot (the point of intersection between the line and the plane), then the line is perpendicular to the plane." Also, any three noncollinear points determine a plane.)

Now, I took this problem from a set (with no answer key) in which it was possible to have more than one choice correct. However, I didn't tell the students that, because when I made the test on Thursday night, I was sure there was only one correct answer. Indeed, there is one definitely correct answer and two that are definitely wrong. But the other choice? Well, that got complicated...

(Solution tomorrow. I'll let y'all have fun with it for now. :-)
([info]ultimatepsi was able to figure it out over the phone while at a party, because she's full of awesome.)


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[info]maverick_weirdo
2009-01-26 03:07 am UTC (link)
Are we are assuming that point H does not overlap either point A or C?

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[info]happyfunpaul
2009-01-26 03:13 am UTC (link)
Point H is somewhere in between points A and C. I think we're supposed to assume H is not coincident with either A or C, but I'd be curious to see what happened if that assumption were violated.

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[info]maverick_weirdo
2009-01-26 03:48 am UTC (link)
answer (a) is true assuming "directly above" means perpendicular

If H coinsides with A then answer (b) becomes true, otherwise (b) is false.

answer (c) cannot be true because AB is the hypotanuse of the right triangle ABC, so the angle formed by AB and AC cannot be perpendicular.

answer (d) is true because plane E and plane ACD are perpendicular (assuming "directly above" means perpendicular), and line BC in plane E is perpendicular to the junction of the planes

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[info]happyfunpaul
2009-01-26 04:02 am UTC (link)
answer (a) is true assuming "directly above" means perpendicular

"Directly above" is not a given, it's just how the diagram looks, which is why I put in the "(?)" when I described the diagram.

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[info]maverick_weirdo
2009-01-26 04:10 am UTC (link)
if DH is not perpendicular to plane E then all the answers are false

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[info]happyfunpaul
2009-01-26 04:02 am UTC (link)
The other answers are correct.

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[info]maedbh7
2009-01-26 03:21 am UTC (link)
3?

;-)

-H...

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[info]jslove
2009-01-26 04:36 am UTC (link)
If none of the segments AB, AC, AD and CD are of zero length, i.e., all points A, B, C and D are distinct, then ADC is a plane, and BC is perpendicular to two distinct lines in that plane, and AC, BC and CD all intersect at C, which is therefore the "foot". By the theorem, choice #4 (confusingly designated "d") appears to be the one which is definitely correct and looked for by the problem writer.

On the other hand, we are told that DH and AC are perpendicular, and since both are in the plane ADC, which is perpendicular to BC (see above), it appears that DH is perpendicular to both AC and BC, which together define plane E, and that therefore choice #1 ("a") is also correct. The theorem given as a hint does not apply unless H and C are the same point. Otherwise, the line DH is perpendicular to a line within E that is parallel to BC and contains H, introducing concepts not mentioned in the problem statement. I think you have to give credit for this answer (consider it correct) even though it's clearly not the one that you were looking for.

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