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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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I think there is agreement that A is the answer. The fact that we do have specific numbers means D cannot be the answer in any case.

We have precise refernces
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
teshu325 how can OF be the height? Carcass kindly share your solution
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
itwasmaroon

why not? we can draw a line and make OF as height!
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
teshu325 height must be perpendicular to the base.
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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My solution

Attachment:
GRE triangle area.jpg
GRE triangle area.jpg [ 132.31 KiB | Viewed 2191 times ]


We know the radius that is 4. Therefore, the other radius is also 4. An d the diameter is 2R=8

The height of the triangle is also the radius, which is 4

We can calculate the area of the 1 and 2 triangle

\(A=\frac{ 1}{2}* b*h=\frac{1}{2}*4*4=8
\)

Add up the two areas \(8+8=16
\)

A is the answer.

I do not see any other possible solution
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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itwasmaroon wrote:
teshu325 height must be perpendicular to the base.


Not true in the sense we do not have any information about its scale.

The figure could be also this way and the height is perpendicular to the base


Attachment:
GRe triangle area 2.jpg
GRe triangle area 2.jpg [ 191.42 KiB | Viewed 2285 times ]
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
D should be the answer.

Because the EF and FG could be any lengths.

Let EF=FG=x (for Maximum Area)
So, 8^2= EF^2+FG^2
2x^2=64
x=32^1/2

Now Area= 1/2*EF*FG = 16 which is greater than 12.

But, lets minimise the Area, by keeping EF =7.99
In that case FG^2 = 64-63.84 = .1599 ~ .16 and FG = 0.4
Area becomes = 1/2 * 7.99 * 0.4 which is definitely less than 12

So, answer should be option D
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
Expert Reply
Ef and FG is it true that I do not know the length but I have two sides and this is enough to calculate.
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Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
Was the question fixed so it is now correct to say D is the answer? There was a discussion claiming the original answer should have been A. Let me explain exactly why the current version of the question yields answer D:

We know the base of the triangle is 8 because the radius of the circle is 4. FG's length, however, can cause us to form two triangles with very different areas and very different heights. Since the diameter of the circle is the hypotenuse, the maximum area of the triangle will be when the radius is also the height of the triangle. This is a 45/45/90 triangle. This means the base of 8 x height of 4 gives an area of 16.

However the height of the triangle can be squeezed into almost nothing the closer you bring points F and G together. I have a drawing of this I'd like to post, but I haven't posted enough yet to show the drawing.
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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Given triangle EFG is inscribed in a circle with center O and radius 4, the maximum area of triangle EFG will occur when the triangle is equilateral and all its vertices lie on the circumference. The largest possible area for an inscribed triangle in a circle of radius $r$ is given by $\(\frac{3 \sqrt{3}}{4} r^2\)$.

Substituting $\(r=4\)$ :

$$
\(\mathrm{Area}_{\max }=\frac{3 \sqrt{3}}{4} \times 16=12 \sqrt{3}\)
$$


This value (approximately 20.78 ) is greater than 12 , so Quantity A (the area of the triangle) can be greater than Quantity B , but if the triangle is not taking maximum area, it could be less. Without specific information about triangle EFG's arrangement, we cannot say for sure.
- If triangle EFG happens to be the equilateral triangle case, Quantity A is greater than Quantity B.
- If not, the area could be less than, equal to, or greater than 12 .

Therefore, the correct answer is: The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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SarahSaghafi wrote:
Was the question fixed so it is now correct to say D is the answer? There was a discussion claiming the original answer should have been A. Let me explain exactly why the current version of the question yields answer D:

We know the base of the triangle is 8 because the radius of the circle is 4. FG's length, however, can cause us to form two triangles with very different areas and very different heights. Since the diameter of the circle is the hypotenuse, the maximum area of the triangle will be when the radius is also the height of the triangle. This is a 45/45/90 triangle. This means the base of 8 x height of 4 gives an area of 16.

However the height of the triangle can be squeezed into almost nothing the closer you bring points F and G together. I have a drawing of this I'd like to post, but I haven't posted enough yet to show the drawing.


The OA is D and it is shown under the spoiler sir

let me know if you need further help
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Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
Yes, I was confused because you are the expert and you were originally debating that the spoiler answer was wrong and should be A. I thought that since the answer D now makes sense that you changed the wording of the question to make it fit answer D. I now think that you did not change the original question and later simply determined that the answer D was in fact correct.

I see that you have now added a complete explanation explaining why answer D is correct.

Thanks in advance for any clarification.
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
Expert Reply
The problem is not simple as it looks

Sir

Who posted the question maybe put the wrong OA

When you deal with NON official questions oftenm they are ambiguous. Even I could pick them wrong.

It is a little bit messy
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Re: Triangle EFG is inscribed in the circle with center O and radius 4. [#permalink]
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