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In ΔABC, BD⊥AC at D and ∠DBC=54°. E is a point on BC such that ∠CAE=34°. What is the measure of ∠AEB?
56°
70°
78°
80°
70°
In the triangle, ∠BCD=90°−∠DBC=36°. In ΔAEC, using exterior angle or angle sum properties, ∠AEB=∠C+∠CAE=36°+34°=70°.
In triangle ABC, altitude BD is perpendicular to AC at D. Angle DBC = 54 degrees. E is on BC such that angle CAE = 34 degrees.
∠AEB=180°−(∠EAB+∠ABE), ∠ABE=90°−∠C
In the triangle, ∠BCD=90°−∠DBC=36°. In ΔAEC, using exterior angle or angle sum properties, ∠AEB=∠C+∠CAE=36°+34°=70°.
Students often fail to identify the right-angled triangle ΔBDC to find the value of ∠C first, which is the key to the entire problem.
Analyze Right Triangle BDC
Since BD⊥AC, ΔBDC is a right-angled triangle at D. The sum of angles in ΔBDC is 180°. Given ∠DBC=54°, we find ∠C=90°−54°.
∠C=36°
Apply Exterior Angle Theorem
Consider ΔAEC. The angle ∠AEB is an exterior angle to the triangle ΔAEC at vertex E. By the Exterior Angle Theorem, an exterior angle is equal to the sum of the two opposite interior angles.
∠AEB=∠C+∠CAE
Calculate Final Angle
Substitute the known values ∠C=36° and ∠CAE=34° into the equation.
∠AEB=36°+34°=70°
B is correct because the exterior angle ∠AEB in ΔAEC is equal to ∠C+∠CAE, which equals 36°+34°=70°.
This problem demonstrates the 'Exterior Angle Theorem', a fundamental property often tested in geometry to relate interior angles of triangles efficiently.