Question

Three congruent isosceles triangles are constructed with their bases on the sides of an equilateral triangle of side length $1.$ The sum of the areas of the three isosceles triangles is the same as the area of the equilateral triangle. What is the length of one of the two congruent sides of one of the isosceles triangles?

$\dfrac{\sqrt3}{4}$

$\dfrac{\sqrt3}{3}$

$\dfrac{2}{3}$

$\dfrac{\sqrt2}{2}$

$\dfrac{\sqrt3}{2}$

Answer: B

Concepts:equilateral triangle triangle area Pythagorean Theorem

Difficulty rating: 1560

Solution:

The equilateral triangle has area $\dfrac{\sqrt3}{4}.$ Each isosceles triangle has base $1$ and height $h,$ so $3\cdot\dfrac12 h=\dfrac{\sqrt3}{4},$ giving $h=\dfrac{\sqrt3}{6}.$

A congruent side is the hypotenuse from the apex to a base endpoint: $\begin{gathered} \sqrt{\left(\dfrac12\right)^2+\left(\dfrac{\sqrt3}{6}\right)^2}\\ =\sqrt{\dfrac14+\dfrac{1}{12}}\\ =\sqrt{\dfrac13}=\dfrac{\sqrt3}{3}. \end{gathered}$

Thus, the correct answer is B.

2014 AMC 12A Problem 10

Answer: B

Difficulty rating: 1560

Solution:

Problem 10 in Other Years