A circle solution to World's Hardest Easy Geometry Problem

The World's Hardest Easy Geometry Problem ruined my sleep.


Find the measure of x without elementary geometry about triangles.

I tried that problem a few months ago for a few hours and failed, so I cheated and looked up the answer.
But today I dreamed about that problem. In my dream, I saw myself using circle to solve that problem.
I woke up, it's 3 am, great time to work on a geometry problem.

So I did. I succeed!
It is cheating to use circles. Only basic properties about triangles, angles and lines are allowed.
Please don't read this if you want to have your own fun with the problem first.
I also have a link for a triangle only solution.

Note: My graph is different because I changed the name of point E to D, and D to E.
Here is where da solutions at.

First looking show that CE=BE, so it's nice to consider using symmetry to solve the problem.
Construct EI \perp CB
Draw a circle pass through E,D,F
Reflect all points through EI
The graph looks like this:

It's easy to see there are some equations
\begin{eqnarray}
\angle C &=& \frac{\stackrel{\frown}{EF}+\stackrel{\frown}{GF}-\stackrel{\frown}{HD}}{2}\\
\angle ADB &=& \frac{\stackrel{\frown}{FG}}{2}\\
\end{eqnarray}
All the angles listed above can be found directly because the other two angles in the triangle are already known.
After finding all the size of those angles and multiply 2 to each side, it reduce to a few simple linear equation, all we have to do is to solve it.
It's a easy linear system can be computed by hand.
Set

\begin{eqnarray}
a=\stackrel{\frown}{FE}\\
b=\stackrel{\frown}{HD}\\
c=\stackrel{\frown}{FG}\\
\end{eqnarray}


\begin{eqnarray}
40^\circ  &=& a+c-b\\
60^\circ  &=& c\\
\end{eqnarray}
We end up with this

20^\circ  = b-a
c=b because the graph is symmetric.
a = 40^\circ
Thus x = 20

Q.E.D.[Quite Exhausting Demonstration]

I need to start to train my subconscious so I can do math when I'm asleep.


Comments

Mgccl's picture

Humm I just noticed... I

Humm I just noticed... I still have to prove that the center of the circle is on EI.

Anonymous's picture

FUCK U

FUCK U
Anonymous's picture

Short and sweet way of solving this question

Hi. Regarding to this question,I solve it by this way. I simply substituted my own values into one of the lengths of the triangle. Eg: AB=5 and I can easily solve the whole thing using just sine rule and cosine rule in less then 5 minutes.

Mgccl's picture

hehe... a cheating way when

hehe... a cheating way when the original question asks not to use trigonometry...

Anonymous's picture

Oops.

I see. I will try it again by just applying Euclidean Geometry.

Anonymous's picture

Sines and Cosines?

Hello, I almost got it done but how do you solve it with sine and cosine? I am taking calculus now but I don't see how to solve with w/ sine and cosine as there is no length, only angles. If you could post a link to your scanned image of work or write it out here that would be great.

Thanks.

Anonymous's picture

Assume 1, 10, or a for any

Assume 1, 10, or a for any of the sides of the triangle. Work the problem in terms of these assumed values. Once you know ratio of the sides of the right triangle you can find the angle using arctan, arcsin, arccosine operation.

Mgccl's picture

I just had an

I just had an enlightenment.
For problems like this without any particular values. I should assume one instead of any variable.
1 reduce the amount of writing involved compare to assume it as a variable x.

Anonymous's picture

use sine rule

use sine rule

Anonymous's picture

i am a sophomore and used

i am a sophomore and used only geometry and solved it in 1 minute. it was very easy. x=20

Anonymous's picture

I'm never, ever, going to

I'm never, ever, going to have to do this for any job I will ever have.

I doubt I'm ever going to have a job interview, and they'll slap this shit down in front of me.

Mgccl's picture

The reason you want to know

The reason you want to know these stuff, is because of this happens in real life.

Anonymous's picture

World's hardest easy geometry problem

I have solved this problem in 2 easiest ways with only one construction,i.e, constructing a line parallel to DE through the vertex B. Now, find the angles by the concept of alternate, corresponding,etc.

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