Question

FIND THE ERROR: Chun and Traci are determining the value of x in the figure. Chun says to find the value of x, solve the proportion = 1, but

Treci says to find the value of 1, the proportion is should be solved. Is either of them correct? Explain your reasoning

Answer 1

Explanation:

Chun; by the Triangle Angle Bisector Theorem, the correct proportion is 58=15x.

Answer 2

9514 1404 393

Answer:

Chun is correct

Explanation:

The angle bisector divides the sides of the triangle proportionally. Any proportion that is written should equate ratios of corresponding sides.

Chun's proportion correctly relates the top-side measures to their corresponding bottom-side measures:

top short : bottom short = top long : bottom long

5 / 8 = 15 / x

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Traci's error is that she mixes top-side and bottom-side measures. Her incorrect relation is ...

top short : bottom long = bottom short : top long

She has used top:bottom for short measures and bottom:top for long measures. This mixing will give Traci an incorrect solution.

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Chun's proportion correctly gives x=24.