Let E be the midpoint of the side AB in the quadrilateral ABCD and let F be a point on the diagonal AC, such that the line BF is perpendicular to the diagonal AC. Find the ratio of the sides of the rectangle ABCD, if the segment EF is perpendicular to the diagonal BD.
Solution
Write ∠BAC=α. Since ABF is a right triangle and E is the midpoint of the hypotenuse, it is also the circumcentre of the triangle ABF and ∣AE∣=∣BE∣=∣FE∣. So, ∠AFE=∠EAF=α and ∠EFB=2π−∠AFE=2π−α, which implies ∠FBD=2π−∠EFB=α. Also, ∠ACB=2π−α, so ∠CBF=α and ∠DBA=∠BAC=α. We see that 2π=∠CBA=∠DBA+∠FBD+∠CBF=3α, which implies α=6π. The triangle ABC is one half of an equilateral triangle, so ∣BC∣∣AB∣=3.
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