158k views
4 votes
What is the value of x in the figure below?15CDBX20A.2015B. 10C. 300D. 5E 20OFF.454

What is the value of x in the figure below?15CDBX20A.2015B. 10C. 300D. 5E 20OFF.454-example-1
User Jenice
by
4.3k points

1 Answer

4 votes

From the image, and using the Pythagorean theorem in ΔABC:


\begin{gathered} AB^2+AC^2=BC^2 \\ 15^2+AC^2=20^2 \\ 225+AC^2=400 \\ AC^2=175 \\ AC=5√(7) \end{gathered}

Additionally, we know that:


\begin{gathered} CD+DB=BC \\ \Rightarrow DB=20-x \end{gathered}

Finally, using the altitude on hypotenuse theorem:


\begin{gathered} AC^2=CD\cdot BC \\ 15^2=x\cdot20 \\ \therefore x=(45)/(4) \end{gathered}

User Lukas Wiklund
by
4.0k points