Given a tetrahedron ABCD, it is known that ∠ADB=∠BDC=∠CDA=60∘, AD=BD=3 and CD=2. Then the radius of the sphere circumscribing ABCD is ______.
Solution
Let the center of the sphere circumscribing ABCD be O. Then O is on the vertical line of plane ABD through point N the circumcenter of △ABD. It is known that △ABD is regular, so N is the center of it. Let P and M be the midpoints of AB and CD, respectively. Then N is on DP with ON⊥DP and OM⊥CD.
Let θ denote the angle between CD and plane ABD. From ∠CDA=∠CDB=∠ADB=60∘, we find cosθ=31, sinθ=32.
Since DM=21CD=1, DN=32⋅DP=23⋅3=3, by cosine theorem we have, in △DMN, MN2=DM2+DN2−2⋅DM⋅DN⋅cosθ=12+(3)2−2⋅1⋅3⋅31=2, that is MN=2. The radius of the sphere circumscribing ABCD is then OD=sinθMN=22=3. The answer is R=3.
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Source: MathNet,
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