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Given: △ABC, m∠B=90°
AB = 12, BC = 16, BK⊥ AC

Find: AC and BK

1 Answer

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Answer:AC = 20

BK = 9.6

Explanation:

AC is found using the Pythagorean theorem in the usual way:

AC² = AB² + BC²

AC² = 12² + 16² = 144 +256 = 400

AC = √400

AC = 20

You may recognize this is a 3-4-5 triangle scaled by a factor of 4.

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Then BK is found using similar triangles. All of the triangles in the figure are similar*, so ...

long side / hypotenuse = BC/AC = BK/AB

BK = AB(BC/AC) = 12(16/20) = 12×0.8

BK = 9.6

User Abhijeet Kamble
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