1009.11 – Triangle Count


How many triangles are in this figure?


Solution

Count carefully; be systematic! The triangle AEF\triangle AEF has four more like it, BAG,CBH,DCJ\triangle BAG, \triangle CBH, \triangle DCJ, and EDK\triangle EDK, moving around the large figure clockwise. Similarly the seven additional triangles AFB,AEB,ADH,AKC,ADC\triangle AFB, \triangle AEB, \triangle ADH, \triangle AKC, \triangle ADC, and AFG\triangle AFG (all containing vertex AA) each has four more around the large figure.

So the total number is 8×5=408 \times 5 = 40. (Have we counted anything twice? Have we missed any?)