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Math Puzzle for May 3, 2024

Posted By On In Puzzles | Comments Disabled

Three adjacent triangles squeezed together like tourists in Atrani

Alameda Post - one large triangle is split into three triangles labeled 1, 2, and 3. The three triangles do not overlap at all, and they make up all the area inside the larger triangle. Triangle #1 has sides that are all the same length A. Triangle #2 is isosceles, and its two identical sides are the length A. Triangle #2 shares a single side with Triangle #1. The length of the shared side is A. The third, longest side of Triangle #2 is length B. Triangle #3 is an isosceles, and its two identical sides are the length B. Triangle #3 shares a single side with Triangle #2, with the length B. The longest side of Triangle #3 is length C. The total sides of the large triangle, which is comprised of all three triangles, is Length C on one side, Length A on one side, and Length A plus Length A plus Length B on the longest side. [1]

Above are three triangles: #1 is an equilateral triangle, #2 and #3 are isosceles.
Triangle #1 has an area of precisely 290.4071854 hectares.
The contestant is challenged to find the area A of triangle #3.

A = ____ hectares

The first correct answer sent to [email protected] [2]  wins a gift card redeemable for a whole lot of ice cream at Tucker’s Ice Cream of Alameda.

Last week’s winner [3] was Matt Bliven with V = 44 feet/second = 30 mph.

Jeff Smith is a former Math teacher and a retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander. Reach him at [email protected] [2].