Geometry Question
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- knight247
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Does look a little complicated but a fairly simple one. Explanation as follows.
(1)in triangle RSQ
qr=rs
So it follows that
angle rqs= angle rsq = y degrees (in a triangle, sides opposite congruent angles are equal)
Now, measure of angles qrs+rqs+rsq=180 (property of triangles)
qrs+y+y=180
qrs=180-2y.......(a)
Insufficient.
(2)in triangle STU
ST=TU
angle sut = angle tsu = z degrees (in a triangle, sides opposite congruent angles are equal)
similarly
measure of angles tsu+sut+stu=180 (property of triangles)
z+z+stu=180
stu=180-2z......(b)
Insufficient
Combining (1) and (2)
In triangle RPT
angle prt + angle rtp + angle rpt =180
180-2y+180-2z+90=180 (since angle qrs=angle prt, angle stu=angle rtp and from 1 and 2)
solving we get
y+z=135.....(c)
now,
angle rsq+angle qsu+angle tsu=180
y+x+z=180
x=180-(y+z)
x=180-135=45
Hence C. Hope this explanation helps.
Have added an image to clarify
(1)in triangle RSQ
qr=rs
So it follows that
angle rqs= angle rsq = y degrees (in a triangle, sides opposite congruent angles are equal)
Now, measure of angles qrs+rqs+rsq=180 (property of triangles)
qrs+y+y=180
qrs=180-2y.......(a)
Insufficient.
(2)in triangle STU
ST=TU
angle sut = angle tsu = z degrees (in a triangle, sides opposite congruent angles are equal)
similarly
measure of angles tsu+sut+stu=180 (property of triangles)
z+z+stu=180
stu=180-2z......(b)
Insufficient
Combining (1) and (2)
In triangle RPT
angle prt + angle rtp + angle rpt =180
180-2y+180-2z+90=180 (since angle qrs=angle prt, angle stu=angle rtp and from 1 and 2)
solving we get
y+z=135.....(c)
now,
angle rsq+angle qsu+angle tsu=180
y+x+z=180
x=180-(y+z)
x=180-135=45
Hence C. Hope this explanation helps.
Have added an image to clarify
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- Anurag@Gurome
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Note that the measure of angle x depends upon the position of points Q, S and U only. Unless we don't know the fixed positions of these three points, we cannot uniquely determine the measure of angle x.
Statement 1: QR = RS
Thus position of Q and S is fixed. But U can be any point on PT and accordingly value of x will be different.
Not sufficient
Statement 2: ST = TU
Thus position of S and U is fixed. But Q can be any point on PR and accordingly value of x will be different.
Not sufficient
1 & 2 Together: Now the three points are fixed. Let's see whether we can find x. Refer to the image below.

On point S, the sum of the three angles must be equal to 180°.
Thus, (x + y + z) = 180° ..................................... (i)
angle PQS = (180° - angle RQS) = (180° - z)
angle PUS = (180° - angle TUS) = (180° - y)
Now in quadrilateral PQSU,
- Sum of all the internal angles = 360°
=> [x + 90° + (180° - y) + (180° - z)] = 360°
=> (x - y - z + 90°) = 0 .................................. (ii)
Sufficient
The correct answer is C.
Anurag Mairal, Ph.D., MBA
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