Problem Solving

Hi All,
I am having trouble attacking this problem. For starters, how do I know that it is a 45-45-90 triagle by the information given? in the first part of the explanation how do they arrive at xrad3

Any help would be great.

Thanks

let the side of cube be x...ac=x

distance of bc=(3^0.5)x=1.732x

distance of ab=(2^0.5)x=1.414x

difference=1.732x-1.414x=0.318x~==0.3x

0.3x is 30% of x.....hope it clears

Thanks so much for your response

how did you arrive at bc=(3^0.5)x and ab=(2^0.5)x ???



distance of bc=(3^0.5)x=1.732x

distance of ab=(2^0.5)x=1.414x


Thanks

using pythagoras theorem..
u will b able to find line segment BC
and similarly AB
Let AC=x

Thus BC=root of( x^2 + x^2 ) + x^2 = x root3=1.732x
AB= root of( x^2 + x^2 ) = x root2=1.414x

Thus BC- AB = 0.318x

i.e 0.318x/ x * 100 = 30% (approx.)

I feel like an idiot. I understand pythag theorem. Maybe I am forgetting some rules about simplifying radicals and exponents? any suiggestions?

raunekk wrote:
Thus BC=root of( x^2 + x^2 ) + x^2 = x root3=1.732x
AB= root of( x^2 + x^2 ) = x root2=1.414x

I must have forgotten this rule of roots/exponents.

What is/are the rule/s for taking the square root of numbers with exponents?

I know that the general rule in simplifying the z'th root of (x^n) = x^n/z.
i.e. cubed root (x^2) = x^2/3.

How do you simplify when there is more than 1 term within a square root?

Lakers09 wrote:I feel like an idiot. I understand pythag theorem. Maybe I am forgetting some rules about simplifying radicals and exponents? any suiggestions?

If you are forgetting the basics on radical simplification then you should definitely check this link

https://math.tutorvista.com/number-syste ... icals.html