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Here are two right-angled triangles - Edexcel - GCSE Maths - Question 21 - 2018 - Paper 3

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Question 21

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Here are two right-angled triangles. Given that tan e = tan f find the value of x. You must show all your working.

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Here are two right-angled triangles - Edexcel - GCSE Maths - Question 21 - 2018 - Paper 3

Step 1

Find expressions for tan e and tan f

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Answer

For triangle e:

Using the definition of tangent: tane=oppositeadjacent=x4x1\tan e = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} = \frac{x}{4x - 1}

For triangle f:

Using the same definition: tanf=oppositeadjacent=6x+512x+31\tan f = \frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{adjacent}} = \frac{6x + 5}{12x + 31}

Step 2

Set up the equation

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Answer

Since tan e = tan f, we have: x4x1=6x+512x+31\frac{x}{4x - 1} = \frac{6x + 5}{12x + 31}

Step 3

Cross multiply and simplify

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Answer

Cross multiplying gives: (x)(12x+31)=(6x+5)(4x1)(x)(12x + 31) = (6x + 5)(4x - 1)

Distributing each side: 12x2+31x=24x26x+20x512x^2 + 31x = 24x^2 - 6x + 20x - 5

This simplifies to: 12x2+31x=24x2+14x512x^2 + 31x = 24x^2 + 14x - 5

Step 4

Rearrange to form a quadratic equation

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Answer

Moving all terms to one side results in: 12x224x2+31x14x+5=012x^2 - 24x^2 + 31x - 14x + 5 = 0

Which simplifies to: 12x2+17x+5=0-12x^2 + 17x + 5 = 0

Or, multiplying through by -1: 12x217x5=012x^2 - 17x - 5 = 0

Step 5

Solve the quadratic equation

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Answer

Using the quadratic formula: x=b±b24ac2ax = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} where a=12a = 12, b=17b = -17, and c=5c = -5:

First find the discriminant: b24ac=(17)24(12)(5)=289+240=529b^2 - 4ac = (-17)^2 - 4(12)(-5) = 289 + 240 = 529

Then substituting into the formula: x=17±52924=17±2324x = \frac{17 \pm \sqrt{529}}{24} = \frac{17 \pm 23}{24}

Calculating the two possible values:

  1. x=4024=53x = \frac{40}{24} = \frac{5}{3}
  2. x=624=14x = \frac{-6}{24} = -\frac{1}{4}

Since xx must be positive, we select: x=53x = \frac{5}{3}

Step 6

Final answer

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Answer

x=53x = \frac{5}{3}, or approximately 1.671.67.

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