A tetrahedron ABCD satisfies ∠BAC=∠CAD=∠DAB=90o. Show that the areas of its faces satisfy the equation area(BAC)2+area(CAD)2+area(DAB)2=area(BCD)2. .
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Official solution
1. Assign Coordinates: We start by assigning coordinates to the vertices of the tetrahedron. Let: A=(0,0,0),B=(b,0,0),C=(0,c,0),D=(0,0,1) This ensures that the angles ∠BAC, ∠CAD, and ∠DAB are all 90∘.
2. Vectors Calculation: Calculate the vectors DB and DC: DB=(b,0,−1),DC=(0,c,−1)
3. Dot Product and Magnitudes: Compute the dot product DB⋅DC: DB⋅DC=b⋅0+0⋅c+(−1)⋅(−1)=1 Compute the magnitudes ∣DB∣ and ∣DC∣: ∣DB∣=b2+02+(−1)2=b2+1 ∣DC∣=02+c2+(−1)2=c2+1
4. **Cosine of Angle ∠BCD:** Using the dot product formula, we find cos∠BCD: cos∠BCD=∣DB∣⋅∣DC∣DB⋅DC=b2+1⋅c2+11 Therefore, cos2∠BCD=(b2+1⋅c2+11)2=(b2+1)(c2+1)1
5. **Sine of Angle ∠BCD:** Using the identity sin2θ=1−cos2θ, we get: sin2∠BCD=1−cos2∠BCD=1−(b2+1)(c2+1)1 Simplify the expression: sin2∠BCD=(b2+1)(c2+1)(b2+1)(c2+1)−1=(b2+1)(c2+1)b2+c2+b2c2
6. **Area of Triangle BCD:** The area of triangle BCD is given by: Area(BCD)=21∣DB∣∣DC∣sin∠BCD Squaring both sides, we get: Area(BCD)2=(21)2∣DB∣2∣DC∣2sin2∠BCD Substitute the values: Area(BCD)2=41(b2+1)(c2+1)⋅(b2+1)(c2+1)b2+c2+b2c2=41(b2+c2+b2c2)
7. **Areas of Triangles BAC, CAD, and DAB:** The areas of triangles BAC, CAD, and DAB are: Area(BAC)=21bc,Area(CAD)=21c,Area(DAB)=21b Squaring these areas, we get: Area(BAC)2=(21bc)2=41b2c2 Area(CAD)2=(21c)2=41c2 Area(DAB)2=(21b)2=41b2
8. Summing the Areas: Summing the squares of the areas of triangles BAC, CAD, and DAB, we get: Area(BAC)2+Area(CAD)2+Area(DAB)2=41b2c2+41c2+41b2=41(b2+c2+b2c2)
9. Conclusion: We have shown that: Area(BAC)2+Area(CAD)2+Area(DAB)2=Area(BCD)2 Therefore, the given equation is satisfied.
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Source: NuminaMath-1.5,
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