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    Potwe 15 Ae GM NP 08 S

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    The document describes a problem involving finding the smallest possible length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with two-digit integer sides, where the digits of one side are the reverse of the digits of the hypotenuse. It shows that the only possible solution is a triangle with hypotenuse 65, second side 56, and third side 33.

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    Potwe 15 Ae GM NP 08 S

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    23 views1 page
    The document describes a problem involving finding the smallest possible length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with two-digit integer sides, where the digits of one side are the reverse of the digits of the hypotenuse. It shows that the only possible solution is a triangle with hypotenuse 65, second side 56, and third side 33.

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    Solutions to Mathematics

    Original Title

    Potwe 15 Ae Gm Np 08 s

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    The document describes a problem involving finding the smallest possible length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with two-digit integer sides, where the digits of one side are the reverse of the digits of the hypotenuse. It shows that the only possible solution is a triangle with hypotenuse 65, second side 56, and third side 33.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    23 views1 page

    Potwe 15 Ae GM NP 08 S

    Uploaded by

    scribd-in-action
    The document describes a problem involving finding the smallest possible length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with two-digit integer sides, where the digits of one side are the reverse of the digits of the hypotenuse. It shows that the only possible solution is a triangle with hypotenuse 65, second side 56, and third side 33.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    WWW.C E M C .U WAT E R LO O.

    C A | T h e C E N T R E fo r E D U C AT I O N i n M AT H E M AT I C S a n d CO M P U T I N G

    Problem of the Week


    c

    Problem E and Solution


    This Triangle is All Right

    Problem
    A right-angled triangle has sides whose lengths are two-digit integers. The digits of the length
    of the hypotenuse are the reverse of the digits of the length of one of the other sides.
    Determine the smallest possible length of the hypotenuse.

    Solution
    Let x represent the tens digit of the hypotenuse such that x is an integer from 1 to 9. Let y
    represent the units digit of the hypotenuse such that y is an integer from 1 to 9. Then the
    length of the hypotenuse is 10x + y.
    Since one of the sides has the same digits as the hypotenuse in reverse order, the length of this
    side is 10y + x.
    Let the third side be z such that z is a two digit integer.
    Using the Pythagorean Theorem:
    (10y + x)2 + z 2
    Expanding: 100y 2 + 20xy + x2 + z 2
    Rearranging:
    z2
    Factoring:
    z2

    =
    =
    =
    =

    (10x + y)2
    100x2 + 20xy + y 2
    99x2 99y 2
    99(x y)(x + y)

    Since z 2 is a perfect square, 99(x + y)(x y) must also be a perfect square. But
    99(x + y)(x y) = 9(11)(x + y)(x y). To be a perfect square (x + y)(x y) must be a
    multiple of 11 and contain a factor which is a perfect square. Since x and y are each integers
    from 1 to 9, x y cannot be 11, and so we must have x + y = 11. Again, since x and y are
    integers from 1 to 9, there are three possibilities for x y that give a perfect square; x y = 1,
    x y = 4 or x y = 9. These are the three possibilities: (x + y)(x y) = 11(1) or
    (x + y)(x y) = 11(4) or (x + y)(x y) = 11(9).
    If x + y = 11 and x y = 1, we solve the system of equations obtaining x = 6 and y = 5. This
    gives a hypotenuse of 10x + y = 65 and second side 10y + x = 56. Then solving for z,
    z 2 = 99(x + y)(x y) = 99(11)(1) = 1089 and z = 33. This solution is easily confirmed but is
    it the only solution?
    If x + y = 11 and x y = 4, we solve the system of equations obtaining x = 7.5 and y = 3.5.
    But x and y are both integers so this solution is inadmissible.
    If x + y = 11 and x y = 9, we solve the system of equations obtaining x = 10 and y = 1. But
    x must be an integer from 1 to 9 so this solution is inadmissible.
    Therefore the only solution is a right triangle with hypotenuse of length 65.

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