QUESTION 1

Part (i) C

α β

A B
AP = PQ = BQ = x
Projecting on to the horizontal we have:-

AB = 1 = AP cos α + PQ cos θ + QB cos β = x cos α + x cos θ + x cos β

Hence x cos θ = 1 − x cos α − x cos β

Vertically we have:-

BQ sin β = AP sin α + PQ sin θ ⇒ x sin θ = x sin β − x sin α

x 2 cos 2 θ + x 2 sin 2 θ = (1 − x cos α − x cos β ) + ( x sin β − x sin α )

2 2
Therefore

⇒ x 2 = (1 − x cos α − x cos β ) + ( x sin β − x sin α )

2 2

⇒ x 2 = 1 + x 2 ( cos α + cos β ) − 2 x ( cos α + cos β ) + x 2 ( sin β − sin α )

2 2
 ⇒ x 2 = 1 + x 2 ( 2 + 2 ( cos α cos β − sin β sin α ) ) − 2 x ( cos α + cos β )

⇒ 0 = 1 + x 2 (1 + 2 cos (α + β ) ) − 2 x ( cos α + cos β )

If P and Q are on AC and BC extended respectively, then the vertical

calculation remains the same while the horizontal becomes:-

x cos α = 1 − x cos β + x cos θ ⇒ x cos θ = x cos α + x cos β − 1

⇒ x 2 cos 2 θ = x 2 ( cos α + cos β ) + 1 − 2 x ( cos α + cos β )

2

With the unchanged vertical equation this clearly leads to the same result as the
original.

Part (ii)

For the result from part (i) to be linear in x we must have:-

1
1 + 2 cos (α + β ) = 0 ⇒ cos (α + β ) = − ⇒ α + β = 1200
2

If 1 + 2cos (α + β ) ≠ 0 then the discriminant of the quadratic equation in x is:-

 −2 ( cos α + cos β )  − 4 × (1 + 2 cos (α + β ) ) × 1

2

= 4 cos 2 α + cos 2 β + 2 cos α cos β − 1 − 2 cos (α + β ) 

= 4 cos 2 α + cos 2 β + 2 cos α cos β − 1 − 2 cos α cos β + 2sin α sin β 

= 4 cos 2 α + cos 2 β − 1 + 2sin α sin β 

= 4 1 − sin 2 α + 1 − sin 2 β − 1 + 2sin α sin β 

= 4 1 − ( sin α − sin β ) 
2
 
 Now 0 < α ≤ β < 180 ⇒ 0 < sin α ≤ 1 and 0 < sin β ≤ 1

Further the only combinations of angles that could make ( sin α − sin β ) = 1 are
2

0 and 900 or 900 and 1800 and neither of these would allow ABC to be an

acceptable triangle.

Therefore 4 1 − ( sin α − sin β )  > 0 and the quadratic has two distinct real roots.
2
 

Part (iii)

α = β = 450 ⇒ x 2 − 2 2 x + 1 = 0 ⇒ x = 2 ± 1
1
2
− ( 2 −1
2 +1

2 −1
1 1
1+ 1+
2 −1 2 2
1
1
2 −1 2
2

1 1
 3 1
α = 300 , β = 900 ⇒ −2   x + 1 = 0 ⇒ x =
 2  3 C, Q
1
3
1 P
1
3 3

1 B
A