ABC is a triangle, right-angled at C. P is the mid-point of AC, < PBC = 37° and |BC| = 5 cm. Calculate : (a) |AC|, correct to 3 significant figures ; (b) < ...

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - General Mathematics - 1999 (Essay) Subject: General Mathematics

Question 1 Report

ABC is a triangle, right-angled at C. P is the mid-point of AC, < PBC = 37° and |BC| = 5 cm. Calculate : 

(a) |AC|, correct to 3 significant figures ;

(b) < PBA.

Answer Details

In \(\triangle PBC\), the right angle is at \(C\), \(|BC|=5\text{ cm}\), \(\angle PBC=37^{\circ}\), and \(P\) is the midpoint of \(AC\).

(a) \[\tan37^{\circ}=\frac{PC}{BC}\Rightarrow PC=5\tan37^{\circ}=5\times0.7536=3.768\text{ cm}.\] Since \(P\) is the midpoint, \(|AC|=2\times PC=7.536\approx\) 7.54 cm (3 s.f.).

(b) In \(\triangle ABC\), \[\tan(\angle ABC)=\frac{AC}{BC}=\frac{7.536}{5}=1.5072\Rightarrow\angle ABC=56.44^{\circ}.\] Therefore \[\angle PBA=\angle ABC-\angle PBC=56.44^{\circ}-37^{\circ}\approx19.4^{\circ}.\]

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