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Adjacent sides of a parallelogram are 10 m and 12 m. If its smaller diagonal is 8 meters, find the length of the other diagonal

User JimSan
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2 Answers

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Answer is: the length of the other diagonal
BD is 2sqrt(42) meters.
User Mayankcpdixit
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1 vote

Let ABCD be the parallelogram where AB = 10 m, AD = 12 m, and AC = 8 m (the smaller diagonal). Let P be the intersection of the diagonals AC and BD, such that AP = PC and BP = PD.

We can use the fact that the diagonals of a parallelogram bisect each other to solve for the length of BD (the other diagonal). Since AC is the smaller diagonal, we know that AP = PC = 4 m (half of AC).

Let x be the length of BD. Then, using the Pythagorean theorem in triangles ABP and ADP, we have:

AB^2 - AP^2 = BP^2 (by the Pythagorean theorem in triangle ABP)

AD^2 - AP^2 = DP^2 (by the Pythagorean theorem in triangle ADP)

Substituting the given values, we have:

10^2 - 4^2 = BP^2

12^2 - 4^2 = DP^2

Simplifying, we get:

BP^2 = 84

DP^2 = 128

Since BP = PD (from the definition of P), we have:

2BP^2 = x^2

Substituting the above values, we get:

2(84) = x^2

Solving for x, we get:

x = sqrt(168) = 2sqrt(42) meters

Therefore, the length of the other diagonal BD is 2sqrt(42) meters.

User SoTm
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