Solve for x
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9 members have voted
March 4th, 2020 at 6:54:15 AM
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Find x:
Usual rules:
1. Please don't just plop a URL to a solution elsewhere until a winner here has been declared.
2. All those who have won a beer previously are asked to not post answers or solutions for 24 after this posting.
3. Beer to the first satisfactory answer and solution, subject to rule 2.
4. Please put answers and solutions in spoiler tags.
Usual rules:
1. Please don't just plop a URL to a solution elsewhere until a winner here has been declared.
2. All those who have won a beer previously are asked to not post answers or solutions for 24 after this posting.
3. Beer to the first satisfactory answer and solution, subject to rule 2.
4. Please put answers and solutions in spoiler tags.
Last edited by: Wizard on Mar 4, 2020
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 7:49:45 AM
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4 squared plus b squared equals 7 squared
b equals 5.74
5.74 plus 5 equals 10.74
10.74 squared plus 8 squared equals 179.35
square root of 179.35 is 13.39
x = 13.39
b equals 5.74
5.74 plus 5 equals 10.74
10.74 squared plus 8 squared equals 179.35
square root of 179.35 is 13.39
x = 13.39
That's my early morning mid-coffee high school math attempt.
March 4th, 2020 at 8:24:08 AM
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Quote: TigerWu4 squared plus b squared equals 7 squared
b equals 5.74
5.74 plus 5 equals 10.74
10.74 squared plus 8 squared equals 179.35
square root of 179.35 is 13.39
x = 13.39
That's my early morning mid-coffee high school math attempt.
To comment on just the bottom line, I disagree.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 8:51:20 AM
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I'm guessing that you can't assume that extending the line of length 5 lands you right in that right angled corner?
March 4th, 2020 at 8:53:46 AM
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redacted due to violation of rule 2.
March 4th, 2020 at 10:19:02 AM
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I replied to the facebook post and came here to see if my answer was right.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
March 4th, 2020 at 3:53:37 PM
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Question...
I agree with jml24 if we know the corner between 5 and 8 is a right angle. Do we know that?
March 4th, 2020 at 4:06:32 PM
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Quote: jml24I replied to the facebook post and came here to see if my answer was right.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
This is correct! Congratulations -- I owe you a beer, to be redeemed your next Vegas trip or my trip to wherever you may live.
CharliePatrick also provided a correct answer by PM, as a previous winner. He suggested a cleaner version of the problem, which I'll post in a moment.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 4:13:50 PM
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Here is the Charlie Patrick version of the problem.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 4:30:48 PM
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Dear Wizard,
Is there any chance we can get a problem that’s not geometry?
Is there any chance we can get a problem that’s not geometry?
It’s all about making that GTA
March 4th, 2020 at 5:13:47 PM
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Quote: Ace2Is there any chance we can get a problem that’s not geometry?
Good suggestion. I will see what I can do. Anybody is welcome to pose a math puzzle, by the way.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 5:36:32 PM
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Quote: WizardQuote: jml24I replied to the facebook post and came here to see if my answer was right.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
This is correct! Congratulations -- I owe you a beer, to be redeemed your next Vegas trip or my trip to wherever you may live.
CharliePatrick also provided a correct answer by PM, as a previous winner. He suggested a cleaner version of the problem, which I'll post in a moment.
I live in Seattle and having been and off and on reader for years, would love to meet you for a beer. My next Vegas trip is not planned until November though. I will use this opportunity to plug my reason for coming then. https://heyscoops.com/ a very funny, Vegas-related podcast.
March 4th, 2020 at 8:35:42 PM
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Quote: jml24I live in Seattle and having been and off and on reader for years, would love to meet you for a beer. My next Vegas trip is not planned until November though. I will use this opportunity to plug my reason for coming then. https://heyscoops.com/ a very funny, Vegas-related podcast.
Good, we can torture each other with Seattle and Washington trivia. Remind me about this when November gets closer, although I may do a Washington trip this summer, in which case I'll let you know.
I will try to check out that podcast later.
Don't forget to wash your hands.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 4th, 2020 at 9:02:32 PM
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I liked this puzzle.
March 5th, 2020 at 5:26:06 AM
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Charlie Patrick version of the problem.
x = (576)^0.5 = 24
x = (576)^0.5 = 24
March 5th, 2020 at 5:27:48 AM
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Quote: ssho88Charlie Patrick version of the problem.
x = (576)^0.5 = 24
Correct!
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
March 5th, 2020 at 5:46:39 AM
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I prefer questions related to probability.
March 5th, 2020 at 9:44:57 AM
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Quote: jml24I replied to the facebook post and came here to see if my answer was right.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
How are you getting 12? Where is that number coming from?
March 5th, 2020 at 12:13:16 PM
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Quote: TigerWuQuote: jml24I replied to the facebook post and came here to see if my answer was right.
I can make a right triangle with hypotenuse y with the other two sides 12 and 5. y is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle with the other two sides being 7 and x. Then, sqr(x) = sqr(12) + sqr(5) - sqr(7) = 144 + 25 - 49 = 120. x = sqrt(120) or approximately 10.954.
How are you getting 12? Where is that number coming from?
One way to think about it a bit visually is if you finish the 4 x 5 rectangle, the one side is 8 + 4 = 12.
March 5th, 2020 at 3:02:52 PM
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What I liked about it was there are two sets of numbers such that A^2 + B^2 = C^2 + D^2 = E^2 (or in geometry terms two different right angled triangles with integer values sharing a hypotenuse). I suspect this is the smallest solution, but it was interesting.Quote: ssho88Charlie Patrick version of the problem.
x = (576)^0.5 = 24
First triangle is 7 24 25 as 49+576=625, second triangle is 15 20 25 (being 5x3 4 5) as 225+400=625.
