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Here is a rectangle and a right-angled triangle - Edexcel - GCSE Maths - Question 23 - 2017 - Paper 1

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Here is a rectangle and a right-angled triangle. All measurements are in centimetres. The area of the rectangle is greater than the area of the triangle. Find the s... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Here is a rectangle and a right-angled triangle - Edexcel - GCSE Maths - Question 23 - 2017 - Paper 1

Step 1

Find the area of the rectangle

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Answer

The rectangle has dimensions of width (x1)(x-1) and height (3x2)(3x-2). Therefore, the area of the rectangle (A_rectangle) can be expressed as:

Arectangle=(x1)(3x2)=3x22x3A_{rectangle} = (x - 1)(3x - 2) = 3x^2 - 2x - 3.

Step 2

Find the area of the right-angled triangle

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Answer

The triangle has a base of xx and a height of (2x)(2x). The area of the triangle (A_triangle) can thus be represented as:

Atriangle=12×base×height=12×x×(2x)=x2A_{triangle} = \frac{1}{2} \times base \times height = \frac{1}{2} \times x \times (2x) = x^2.

Step 3

Set up the inequality

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Answer

According to the problem, the area of the rectangle must be greater than the area of the triangle. Hence, we set up the inequality:

3x22x3>x23x^2 - 2x - 3 > x^2.

Step 4

Simplify the inequality

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Answer

We simplify the inequality:

3x22x3x2>03x^2 - 2x - 3 - x^2 > 0 2x22x3>02x^2 - 2x - 3 > 0 x2x32>0x^2 - x - \frac{3}{2} > 0

Step 5

Solve the quadratic inequality

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Answer

Next, we need to find the roots of the equation:

x2x32=0x^2 - x - \frac{3}{2} = 0 Using the quadratic formula, where a=1a=1, b=1b=-1, and c=32c=-\frac{3}{2}:

x=b±b24ac2a=1±1+62=1±72x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a} = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{1 + 6}}{2} = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{7}}{2}

This gives the critical points:

x=1+72x = \frac{1 + \sqrt{7}}{2} and x=172x = \frac{1 - \sqrt{7}}{2}

We find these critical points and test intervals to determine in which intervals the inequality holds true.

Step 6

Establish the final set of possible values of x

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Answer

Based on the analysis, we determine that the acceptable values for xx are:

x>1+72x > \frac{1 + \sqrt{7}}{2} OR x<172x < \frac{1 - \sqrt{7}}{2} However, since xx must be greater than 2 for both dimensions of the rectangle and triangle to be valid, we conclude with:

x>2x > 2.

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