World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
“World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem”
In the figure, find ACD . E
D
F
I. Construction by compass and rulers
II. Deductive approach:
10
Solutions: 20
70 60
Let ACD and AB x . A B
By ( sum of ), we have the following angles as shown in the figure:
E
20
Method 1 (Purely Trigonometry)
BD x
In ABD ,
sin 80 sin 40
C
x sin 80 x(2 sin 40 cos 40)
BD 2 x cos 40 2 x sin 50 130 30
sin 40 sin 40
D
40 F
BC x
In ABC ,
sin 70 sin 30
x sin 70 10
BC 2 x sin 70 20
1 70
60
2 A B
x
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
BC BD
In BCD , E
sin(130 ) sin( 30 )
20
BC sin(130 )
BD sin( 30 )
2 x sin 70 sin[180 (130 )]
C
2 x sin 50 sin( 30 )
130 30
D
sin 70 sin( 50 )
40 F
sin 50 sin( 30 )
sin 70 sin( 30 ) sin 50 sin( 50 )
10
20
1 1
[cos(100 ) cos(40 )] [cos(100 ) cos ] 70 60
2 2 A B
x
cos(40 ) cos
360n (40 ) , where n is an integer.
2 360n 40 or 360n 40 0 (rej.)
180n 20
0 130 , 20 .
Remarks:
1. It is the shortest proof but not an elegant one. Not much insight is developed in this method.
One may not know under what circumstances we should interchange sin and sin(180 ) .
2. Yet, trigonometry establishes the relationship between angles and lengths of sides in geometry.
This helps avoid construction of extra straight lines.
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
Method 2 (Pseudo Geometric Approach) E
20
Let DE a and AB b
DEB DBE 20 ,
a
DE DB a (sides opp. eq. s) C
30
Let G be a point on DA so that GBD 40 .
D
40 F
GDB GBD 40
GD GB (sides opp. eq. s)
G
GBA 60 40 20 40 20
10 70
20
A B
AGB 180 20 (10 70) 80 ( sum of ) b
GAB AGB 80
GB AB b (sides opp. eq. s)
E
GD GB AB b
20
Let H be the point of intersection of AC and BG.
CHB 180 30 (20 40) 90 ( sum of )
a
C
HFB 180 90 40 50 ( sum of )
30
CFB 180 50 130 (adj. s on st. line) D
40 F
130
HB
sin 70 b
50
AB
G
HB b sin 70 H
40 20
10 70
20
A B
HB 1 b
sin 30
CB 2
3
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
E
CB 2b sin 70
20
HB
sin 50
FB
b sin 70 a
FB
sin 50 C
30
GBD is isos. D
40 F
BD 130
b
2
cos 40 sin 50 50
GD G
a 2b sin 50 H
40 20
10 70
20
ABE is isos., A B
b
AB
20
2
sin sin 10
BE 2
b
BE
2 sin 10
E
b 20
CE BE BC 2b sin 70
2 sin 10
1 b(1 4 sin 70 sin 10) b[1 2(cos 60 cos80)] b
CE b 2 sin 70
2 sin 10 2 sin 10 2 sin 10 a
C
2b cos 80 b sin 10 30
CE b
2 sin 10 sin 10 D
40 F
In CED & FBC , 130
b
50
CED FBC 20 (proved)
G
H
40 20
ED 2b sin 50 10 70
2 sin 50 20
CE b A B
b
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
E
BC 2b sin 70 20
2 sin 50
FB b sin 70
sin 50 b
ED BC a
2 sin 50 C
CE FB
30
CED ~ FBC (ratio of 2 sides, inc. ) D
40 F
130
ECD BFC 130 (corr. s, ~ s)
b
50
ACD 180 30 130 20 (adj. s on st. line) G
H
40 20
10 70
20
A B
b
Remarks:
1. It is not natural to guess that CED ~ FBC with limited given conditions.
2. By constructing isosceles GBD , we fortunately get the right angle CHB . Hence we get all
the angles 10, 20, 30, , 80, 90 and GBA ~ AEB , though it is not used in the proof.
3. This method yields some more trigonometric identities:
b
(a) CE 2b sin 70 b
2 sin 10
1
2 sin 70 1
2 sin 10
GA
2 20
(b) sin sin 10
b 2
GA 2b sin 10
from EA EB , we have 2b sin 50 b 2b sin10 b 2b sin 70
i.e. sin 10 sin 50 sin 70 or equivalently, cos 40 cos80 cos 20 .
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
4. Indeed students may use calculator to obtain the identity in point 3, hence students with
knowledge of geometry (up to congruent and similar triangles) and trigonometric RATIOs only
are able to understand (but not necessarily to give!) the proof.
Method 3 (Purely Geometric Approach) E
Let P be a point on DB such that EP is the angle bisector of AEB . 10 10
Construct AP.
In AEP & BEP ,
C
EP EP (common) 30
D
40 F
AEP BEP 10 (by construction)
EAB EBA 80 P
10
AE BE (sides opp. eq. s) 20
70 60
AEP BEP (SAS) A B
EAP EBP 20 (corr. s, s)
E
CAP 20 10 10 10 10
PAB 70 10 60
APB 180 60 60 60 ( sum of )
C
APB is an equil. 30
D
AP PB AB (def. of equil. ) 40 F
Let them be y. P
10
In AEC & EBP , 20
70 60
A B
6
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
EAC BEP 10 (proved) E
10 10
AEC EBP 20 (proved)
AE EB (proved)
AEC EBP (ASA) C
30
EC BP y (corr. sides, s) D Q
40 F
Extend AP to meet BE at Q. Construct DQ.
P
DPQ APB 60 (vert. opp. s)
10
20
In DAB & QBA , 70 60
A B
DAB QBA 80 (given)
AB BA (common)
DBA QAB 60 (proved) E
10 10
DAB QBA (ASA)
DB QA (corr. sides, s)
Let them be x. C
30
DP DB PB x y QA PA QP D Q
40 F
PDQ PQD (base s, isos. )
P
180 60
60 ( sum of ) 10
2 20
70 60
DPQ is an equil. A B
DQ QP DP x y (def. of equil. )
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
PQD QAB 60 E
10 10
DQ // AB (alt. s eq.)
EQD EBA 80 (corr. s, DQ // AB )
EDQ 180 20 80 80 ( sum of ) C
30
DEB DBE 20 D Q
40 F
ED DB x (sides opp. eq. s)
P
EDQ EQD 80
10
20
EQ ED x (sides opp. eq. s) 70 60
A B
CQ EQ EC x y DQ
QCD QDC (base s, isos. )
180 80
50 ( sum of )
2
ACD 50 30 20
Remarks:
1. This is the most famous proof. All the other proofs that can be found on the web employ the
same construction of straight lines.
2. It is a natural way to divide the isosceles triangle along the axis of symmetry. By doing so, we
are lucky to obtain equilateral triangles and parallel lines.
3. As it is purely deductive geometric approach, the proof is long and complicated, but an elegant
one.
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
Teaching in Junior Secondary Level
The pedagogy of “Cooperative Learning” is adopted. Practically it is done in the following way:
The problem is divided into 5 parts for 5 expert groups (A, B, C, D, E) of students to work on.
After that, 1 student from each expert group will form a STAD group, and they will combine the
results together. See the appendix of the worksheets.
Further Discussion
E
1. “World Second Hardest Easy Geometry Problem”
In the figure, find ACD .
D
F
20
30
60 50
A B
If we try to generalize the situation as follows:
Consider ABE with some angles marked as shown in the figure. A
natural question is: “Is there any general relation between the marked
angles?” x C
Similar to Method 1 above, we apply sine law several times. D
F
9 a'
b'
a b
A B
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
AD AB
In ABD ,
sin b sin(180 a a'b)
AD sin b
......(1)
AB sin( a a'b)
AC AB
In ABC ,
sin( b b' ) sin(180 a b b' )
AB sin( a b b' )
......(2)
AC sin( b b' )
AD AC
In ADC , E
sin x sin(180 a' x)
AC sin( x a' )
......(3)
AD sin x
AD AB AC sin b sin( a b b' ) sin( x a' )
(1) (2) (3)
AB AC AD sin( a a'b) sin( b b' ) sin x x C
sin( x a' ) sin( a a'b) sin( b b' )
......(*) D
sin x sin( a b b' ) sin b F
The following table shows some solutions of equation (*).
a a' b b' x a'
b'
75 25 40 30 30 a b
66 22 46 30 30 A B
60 20 50 30 30
39 13 64 30 30
30 10 70 30 30
21 7 76 30 30
6 2 86 30 30
Some patterns of the solution are observed. If we start with (a0 , a '0 , b0 ) (75, 25, 40) , while
keeping b' 30 and x 30 unchanged, then we can generate the the solutions of (*) by
replacing (a0 , a '0 , b0 ) by (a0 3k , a'0 k , b0 2k ) ,where 5 k 25 .
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
2. In Class Example (DSE Application of Trigonometry in 2–dimensional Problems):
The figure shows a quadrilateral ABCD, where AB 8 cm,
ABD 22 , DBC 46 , ACB 35 and ACD 30 .
(a) Find the length of BC.
(b) Find the length of AD.
3. IMO Preliminary Selection Contest Hong Kong 2014 A
Question 9
ABC is isosceles with AB AC . P is a point inside ABC so 39
that BCP 30 , APB 150 and CAP 39 . Find BAP .
(1 mark)
150 P
30
B C
Answers:
1.) 30 2.) (a) 13.6 cm (b) 6.51 cm 3.) 13
Appendix:
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
F.2 Math CL Geometry (Expert Summary Group 1)
(a) Prove that EA EB . E
10
20
70 60
A B
Let P be a point on DB so that EP is the angle bisector of AEB . Construct AP.
(b) Using (a), prove that AEP BEP . E
A B
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
(c) Using (b), find CAP and PAB . E
P
10
20
70 60
A B
(d) Using (c), prove that APB is an equilateral triangle.
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
F.2 Math CL Geometry (Expert Summary Group 2)
(a) Find AEC . E
(b) Using (a), prove that DE DB .
10
20
70 60
A B
14
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
Let P be a point on DB so that EP is the angle bisector of AEB .
It is given that AE EB . (proved by Expert Group 1)
E
(c) Using (a), prove that AEC EBP .
10 10
P
10
20
A B
(d) Name the corresponding side of BP.
15
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
F.2 Math CL Geometry (Expert Summary Group 3)
Let P be a point on DB so that APB is an equilateral triangle. (from Expert Group 1)
Extend AP to meet BE at Q.
(a) Find QAB . E
(b) Using (a), prove that DAB QBA . D Q
P
10
20
70 60
A B
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
(c) Name the corresponding side of DB. E
(d) Using (c), prove that PD PQ .
D Q
A B
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World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
F.2 Math CL Geometry (Expert Summary Group 4)
Let P be a point on DB so that APB is an equilateral triangle. (from Expert Group 1)
Extend AP to meet BE at Q.
It is given that PD PQ . (proved by Expert Group 3)
(a) Find DPQ . E
D Q
(b) Using (a), prove that DPQ is an equilateral triangle.
60
A B
18
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
(c) Using (b), prove that DQ // AB . E
D Q
60
A B
19
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
F.2 Math CL Geometry (Expert Summary Group 5)
Let P be a point on DB so that APB is an equilateral triangle. (from Expert Group 1)
Extend AP to meet BE at Q.
It is given that DQ // AB . (proved by Expert Group 4)
(a) Find EDQ and EQD . E
D Q
(b) Using (a), prove that ED EQ . P
10
20
70 60
A B
20
World’s Hardest Easy Geometry Problem
It is also given that E
1. DB DE (proved by Expert Group 2)
2. BP EC x (proved by Expert Group 2)
3. DP PQ QD y (proved by Expert Group 4) C
D Q
(c) Using (b), prove that QC QD y .
A B
(d) Using (a) and (c), find QCD and ACD .
C
30
D Q
A B
21
