All Exams Test series for 1 year @ ₹349 only
Question

Let ABCD be a tetrahedron such that the edges AB, AC and AD are mutually perpendicular. Let the areas of the triangles ABC, ACD and ADB be 5, 6 and 7 square units respectively. Then the area (in square units) of the $\triangle BCD$ is equal to :

The correct answer is
$\sqrt{110}$

Tetrahedron Area Calculation

Problem Setup: We are given a tetrahedron ABCD where the edges originating from vertex A (AB, AC, AD) are mutually perpendicular. The areas of the three faces meeting at A are provided: Area($\triangle ABC$) = 5, Area($\triangle ACD$) = 6, and Area($\triangle ADB$) = 7. We need to find the area of the fourth face, $\triangle BCD$.

Applying De Gua's Theorem

This problem can be solved efficiently using a generalization of De Gua's theorem, which relates the areas of the faces of a right-angled tetrahedron (one where three faces meeting at a vertex are mutually perpendicular). The theorem states that the square of the area of the face opposite the right-angled vertex is equal to the sum of the squares of the areas of the other three faces.

Solution Steps:

  1. Identify Given Areas: Let the areas of the faces be:

    • $A_1 = \text{Area}(\triangle ABC) = 5$
    • $A_2 = \text{Area}(\triangle ACD) = 6$
    • $A_3 = \text{Area}(\triangle ADB) = 7$
    • $A_4 = \text{Area}(\triangle BCD)$ (The area we need to find)
  2. State De Gua's Theorem: For a tetrahedron with mutually perpendicular edges at vertex A, the relationship is:

    $ A_4^2 = A_1^2 + A_2^2 + A_3^2 $

  3. Substitute Given Values: Plug the known areas into the formula:

    $ A_4^2 = 5^2 + 6^2 + 7^2 $

  4. Calculate the Sum of Squares:

    $ A_4^2 = 25 + 36 + 49 $

    $ A_4^2 = 110 $

  5. Find the Area $A_4$: Take the square root of the result:

    $ A_4 = \sqrt{110} $

The area of the triangle $\triangle BCD$ is $\sqrt{110}$ square units.

Was this answer helpful?

Similar Questions

  1. Let a line L passing through the point $P(1, 1, 1)$ be perpendicular to the lines $\frac{x-4}{4} = \frac{y-1}{1} = \frac{z-1}{1}$ and $\frac{x-17}{1} = \frac{y-71}{1} = \frac{z}{0}$. Let the line L intersect the yz-plane at the point Q. Another line parallel to L and passing through the point $S(1, 0, -1)$ intersects the yz-plane at the point R. Then the square of the area of the parallelogram PQRS is equal to ______.
  2. Let $(h, k)$ lie on the circle $C : x^2 + y^2 = 4$ and the point $(2h + 1, 3k + 2)$ lie on an ellipse with eccentricity $e$. Then the value of $\frac{5}{e^2}$ is equal to _______.
  3. If $P$ is a point on the circle $x^2 + y^2 = 4$, $Q$ is a point on the straight line $5x + y + 2 = 0$ and $x - y + 1 = 0$ is the perpendicular bisector of $PQ$, then $13$ times the sum of abscissa of all such points $P$ is __________.
  4. If the distance of the point $\text{P}(43, \alpha, \beta)$, $\beta < 0$, from the line $\overrightarrow{\text{r}} = 4\hat{i} - \hat{k} + \mu(2\hat{i} + 3\hat{k})$, $\mu \in \mathbf{R}$ along a line with direction ratios $3, -1, 0$ is $13\sqrt{10}$, then $\alpha^{2} + \beta^{2}$ is equal to _________.
  5. Let A be the point $(3, 0)$ and circles with variable diameter AB touch the circle $x^2 + y^2 = 36$ internally. Let the curve C be the locus of the point B. If the eccentricity of C is e, then $72e^2$ is equal to __________.
  6. Consider the parabola $\text{P} : y^2 = 4kx$ and the ellipse $\text{E} : \frac{x^2}{a^2} + \frac{y^2}{b^2} = 1$. Let the line segment joining the points of intersection of P and E, be their latus rectums. If the eccentricity of E is $e$, then $e^2 + 2\sqrt{2}$ is equal to _____.
  7. Let the centre of the circle $x^2 + y^2 + 2gx + 2fy + 25 = 0$ be in the first quadrant and lie on the line $2x - y = 4$. Let the area of an equilateral triangle inscribed in the circle be $27\sqrt{3}$. Then the square of the length of the chord of the circle on the line $x = 1$ is_________.
  8. If $\vec{a} = \hat{i} + \hat{j} + \hat{k}$, $\vec{b} = \hat{j} - \hat{k}$ and $\vec{c}$ be three vectors such that $\vec{a} \times \vec{c} = \vec{b}$ and $\vec{a} \cdot \vec{c} = 3$, then $\vec{c} \cdot (\vec{a} - 2\vec{b})$ is equal to _________.
  9. For some $\theta \in \left(0, \frac{\pi}{2}\right)$, let the eccentricity and the length of the latus rectum of the hyperbola $x^2 - y^2\sec^2\theta = 8$ be $e_1$ and $l_1$, respectively, and let the eccentricity and the length of the latus rectum of the ellipse $x^2\sec^2\theta + y^2 = 6$ be $e_2$ and $l_2$, respectively. If $e_1^2 = e_2^2(\sec^2\theta+1)$, then $\left(\frac{l_1 l_2}{e_1 e_2}\right)\tan^2\theta$ is equal to ________
  10. If foci of the hyperbola $\frac{x^2}{a^2} - \frac{y^2}{12} = 1$ and the ellipse $\frac{x^2}{25} + \frac{y^2}{9} = 1$ coincide, then the eccentricity of the hyperbola, with foci $(0, \pm \sqrt{10})$ passing through the point $(a, a + 1)$, is

Important Questions from Coordinate Geometry

  1. Let a line L passing through the point $P(1, 1, 1)$ be perpendicular to the lines $\frac{x-4}{4} = \frac{y-1}{1} = \frac{z-1}{1}$ and $\frac{x-17}{1} = \frac{y-71}{1} = \frac{z}{0}$. Let the line L intersect the yz-plane at the point Q. Another line parallel to L and passing through the point $S(1, 0, -1)$ intersects the yz-plane at the point R. Then the square of the area of the parallelogram PQRS is equal to ______.
  2. Let $(h, k)$ lie on the circle $C : x^2 + y^2 = 4$ and the point $(2h + 1, 3k + 2)$ lie on an ellipse with eccentricity $e$. Then the value of $\frac{5}{e^2}$ is equal to _______.
  3. If $P$ is a point on the circle $x^2 + y^2 = 4$, $Q$ is a point on the straight line $5x + y + 2 = 0$ and $x - y + 1 = 0$ is the perpendicular bisector of $PQ$, then $13$ times the sum of abscissa of all such points $P$ is __________.
  4. If the distance of the point $\text{P}(43, \alpha, \beta)$, $\beta < 0$, from the line $\overrightarrow{\text{r}} = 4\hat{i} - \hat{k} + \mu(2\hat{i} + 3\hat{k})$, $\mu \in \mathbf{R}$ along a line with direction ratios $3, -1, 0$ is $13\sqrt{10}$, then $\alpha^{2} + \beta^{2}$ is equal to _________.
  5. Let A be the point $(3, 0)$ and circles with variable diameter AB touch the circle $x^2 + y^2 = 36$ internally. Let the curve C be the locus of the point B. If the eccentricity of C is e, then $72e^2$ is equal to __________.
Need Expert Advice?
More Questions from JEE Main

Start Your Preparation with Prepp Mobile App

Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Prepp Mobile App