Jump to heading 5.Basic Area Formulas

Jump to heading 1S=12ah, where h is the height of side a.

  • Application
    When the base and height are known, this formula can be used to calculate the area.

Jump to heading 2S=12absinC, where C is the angle between sides a,b.

  • Angle-sine Chart

    C30∘∨150∘45∘∨135∘60∘∨120∘90∘
    sinC1222321
  • Application
    When two sides and the angle are known, this formula can be used to calculate the area.

Jump to heading 3S=p(p−a)(p−b)(p−c), where p=12(a+b+c).

  • Application
    When the three sides of a triangle are known, this formula can be used to calculate the area.

Jump to heading 6.Focus 3

Use the relationship between base and height to calculate area.

  • When two triangles have the same height, the ratio of their areas is equal to the ratio of their bases.
  • When two triangles have the same base, the ratio of their areas is equal to the ratio of their heights.
  • When two triangles have the same base and the same height, their areas are equal.

S=12ah{S1S2=a1a2h sameS1S2=h1h2a sameS1=S2a, h same

Jump to heading 12Figure 6–13, if the area of △ABC is 1, and the areas of △AEC,△DEC,△BED are equal, then the area of △AED is ?.

(A)13(B)16(C)15(D)14(E)25

Jump to heading Solution

  • Show known conditions

    Sâ–³AEC=Sâ–³DEC=Sâ–³BED=13

  • 1Solve according to the position of point D

    S△BDE=S△CDE⇒D is the midpoint of BCS1=S2 The height and area of the pink and orange triangles are equalS△ABD=12S△ABC=12AD is the median line △ABCS△AED=12−13=16

  • 2Solve according to the position of point E

    S△BCE=2S△ACEThe pink + orange triangle is 2x of the green triangleBE=2AES1S2=a1a2 h sameS△AED=12S△BDE=16a1a2=S1S2 h same

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (B)
    According to the Solution, get Sâ–³AED=16, so choose B.

  • Formula used

    S=12ah{S1S2=a1a2h sameS1S2=h1h2a sameS1=S2a, h sameTriangle area formula


Jump to heading 13Figure 6–14, known CD=5,DE=7,EF=15,FG=6, the line segment AB divides the figure into two parts, the area of the left part is 38, and the area of the right part is 65, then the area of triangle ADG is ?.

(A)40(B)35(C)33(D)32(E)31

Jump to heading Solution

  • Show known conditions and assume that the unknown variable in the overall area

    △ADE=x△BCE=y△AEG=15+67x=3x△BEG=157+5y=54y{x+y=383x+54y=65y=38−x3x+54(38−x)=653x+54×38−54×x=653x+1904−54x=654(3x)+4(1904)−4(54x)=4(65)12x−5x+190=2607x=260−1907x=70x=707=10y=38−10=28S△ADG=x+3x=4×10=40

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (A)
    According to the Solution, get Sâ–³ADG=40, so choose A.

  • Formula used

    ab=cdProportion


Jump to heading 7.Focus 4

Using angle to solve an area.

  • We know two sides and the angle between them in a triangle, can use the formula to solve the area S=12absinC, need to memorize the trigonometric values for common angles.

Jump to heading 14If a triangle has two sides of length 4 and 6, and the area of the triangle is 62, then the angle between the two sides is ?.

(A)30∘(B)45∘∨135∘(C)60∘∨120∘(D)75∘(E)90∘

Jump to heading Solution

S=12×4×6×sinC=6212sinC=62sinC=6212=√22sinC=√22=45∘∨135∘

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (B)
    According to the Solution, get sinC=45∘∨135∘, so choose B.

  • Formula used

    S=12absinCTriangle area formula


Jump to heading 15If a triangle has two sides of length 4 and 6, and the length of the third side is changing, then the maximum area of the triangle is ?.

(A)18(B)16(C)14(D)12(E)10

Jump to heading Solution

Smax=12×4×6×sin90∘sin90∘=12When the area of the triangle reaches its maximum sinC=1

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (D)
    According to the Solution, get Smax=sin90∘=12, so choose D.

  • Formula used

    S=12absinCTriangle area formula


Jump to heading 8.Focus 5

Given the three sides, use Heron's formula to find the area.

  • When the three sides of a triangle are known, you can find the area using the formula S=p(p−a)(p−b)(p−c), where p=12(a+b+c).

Jump to heading 16If the three sides of a triangle are 7,8,9 then its area is ?.

(A)162(B)123(C)183(D)125(E)185

Jump to heading Solution

p=7+8+92=12S=12(12−7)(12−8)(12−9)S=12×5×4×3=125

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (D)
    According to the Solution, get S=125, so choose D.

  • Formula used

    {p=12(a+b+c)S=p(p−a)(p−b)(p−c)Heron's formula


Jump to heading 9.Area of Special Triangles

Jump to heading 1 Right Triangle

  • Pythagorean theorem a2+b2=c2.
  • Commonly used pythagorean numbers (3,4,5),(6,8,10),(5,12,13),(7,24,25),(8,15,17),(9,12,15).
    • The scaled pythagorean theorem (ka)2+(kb)2=(kc)2.
  • The ratio of the three sides of an isosceles right triangle is 1:1:2.
  • The area of an isosceles right triangle is S=12a2=14c2, where a is the length of the right angle side, and c is the length of the hypotenuse.
  • Jump to heading In a triangle with angles 30∘,60∘,90∘, the sides are always in the ratio 1:3:2.

Jump to heading 2 Equilateral Triangle

  • The ratio of the height to the side of an equilateral triangle is 3:2=32:1.
    • h=32a
  • Jump to heading The area of an equilateral triangle is S=34a2, where a is the length of the side.
    • S=12a×32a=34a2

Jump to heading 10.Bird's Head Theorem

  • Two triangles are called congruent-angle triangles if they share an equal or supplementary angle.
  • Their area ratio is the same as the ratio of the products of the sides around those angles.
  • Figure 6–11, in ∠ABC and ∠ADE, the sine of ∠A is the same (same angles), so Sâ–³ABC:Sâ–³ADE=(ABâ‹…AC):(ADâ‹…AE).

    S△ADES△ABC=12AD×AE×sinA12AB×AC×sinA=AD×AEAB×AC

Jump to heading 11.Focus 6

Solve area using the Bird's Head theorem.

  • When two triangles share a common angle or have equal angles, the Bird's Head theorem can be used: the ratio of their areas is equal to the ratio of the products of the sides adjacent to the corresponding angles (whether the angles are equal or supplementary).

Jump to heading 17Figure 6–15, in △ABC, points D,E lie onside AB,AC respectively, and AD:AB=2:5,AE:AC=4:7,S△ADE=16, then the area of △ABC is ?.

(A)56(B)65(C)66(D)70(E)72

Jump to heading Solution

  • Show known conditions

    S△ADES△ABC=AD×AEAB×AC=25×47=835S△ADE=1616S△ABC=83516×35=S△ABC×8560=S△ABC×8S△ABC=5608=70

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (D)
    According to the Solution, get Sâ–³ABC=70, so choose D.

  • Formula used

    S△ADES△ABC=AD×AEAB×ACBird's Head theorem


Jump to heading 18Figure 6–15, in △ABC, point D lies on the extension of side BA, and point E lies onside AC, give that AB:AD=5:2,AE:EC=3:2,S△ADE=12, then the area of △ABC is ?.

(A)30(B)35(C)43(D)48(E)50

Jump to heading Solution

  • Show known conditions

    S△ADES△ABC=AD×AEAB×AC=2×35×(3+2)=625S△ADE=1212S△ABC=62512×25=S△ABC×6300=S△ABC×6S△ABC=3006=50

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (E)
    According to the Solution, get Sâ–³ABC=50, so choose E.

  • Formula used

    S△ADES△ABC=AD×AEAB×ACBird's Head theorem


Jump to heading 12.Swallowtail Theorem

  • Figure 6–12, within triangle ABC, the lines AD,AE,CF are concurrent at point O, then Sâ–³ABO:Sâ–³ACO=BD:DC.
  • This theorem provides a new method for converting an area ratio into a segment ratio, because the shapes of â–³ABO and â–³ACO resemble a Swallow's tail, the theorem is known as the Swallowtail Theorem. it is widely applied in various geometric problems; its particular significance lies in the fact that it can exist within any triangle, offering a way to relate the areas of sub-triangles to the corresponding segments on the base.
  • Derivation process: Since â–³ABD and â–³ACD have equal altitude.
    S△ABD:S△ACD=BD:CD△ABD and △ACD have equal altitudeS△BOD:S△COD=BD:CD△BOD and △COD have equal altitudeS△ABO:S△ACO=BD:CD(S△ABD−S△BOD):(S△ACD−S△COD)=BD:CD

Jump to heading 13.Focus 7

Solve area using the Swallowtail theorem (equal altitudes).

  • When a point inside a triangle is joined to each of the triangle's vertices, the Swallowtail theorem can be applied for analysis.
  • Formula derivations

    S△ABDS△ACD=S△BODS△COD=BDCDequal altitudes,h same S1S2=a1a2S△ABD−S△BODS△ACD−S△COD=S△AOBS△AOC

Jump to heading 19Figure 6–17, in triangle ABC, BD:DC=4:9,CE:EA=4:3, then AF:FB=?.

(A)27:17(B)27:14(C)25:16(D)28:15(E)27:16

Jump to heading Solution

  • Show known conditions

    ①BDCD=S△AOBS△AOC②CEAE=S△BOCS△AOB③AFBF=S△AOCS△BOCBDCD×CEAE×AFBF=S△AOBS△AOC×S△BOCS△AOB×S△AOCS△BOC=149×43×AFBF=12716(1627)×AFBF=2716(1)AFBF=2716

Jump to heading Conclusion

  • Derived Solution

    (E)
    According to the Solution, get AFBF=2716, so choose E.

  • Formula used

    Sâ–³AOBSâ–³AOC=BDCDSwallowtail theorem


PlatformsCoursesCoursewares
YouTubeWatchCourseware
DailymotionWatch
RumbleWatch