College Algebra 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1305115546
ISBN 13: 978-1-30511-554-5

Chapter 8, Sequences and Series - Section 8.2 - Arithmetic Sequences - 8.2 Exercises - Page 607: 67

Answer

With $a=3r$, $b=4r$, $c=5r$ we have a right triangle that is similar to a 3-4-5 triangle for any $r\gt0$.

Work Step by Step

Let $a,b,c$ be the sides of a right triangle such that $a,b,c$ are in arithmetic progression. That is: $b=a+r$ $c=b+r=a+2r$ Assuming that $r\gt0$, $c$ is the hypotenuse because $c\gt b\gt a$. So: $c^2=a^2+b^2$ $(a+2r)^2=a^2+(a+r)^2$ $a^2+4ar+4r^2=a^2+a^2+2ar+r^2$ $0=a^2-2ar-3r^2$ $0=a^2-3ar+ar-3r^2$ $0=a(a-3r)+r(a-3r)$ $0=(a+r)(a-3r)$ $a+r=0$ $a=-r$ It is not a valid solution because both $a$ and $r$ must be positive numbers. $a-3r=0$ $a=3r$ $b=3r+r=4r$ $c=3r+2r=5r$
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