A triangle has corners at #(2 , 5 )#, #(4 ,8 )#, and #(4 ,6 )#. What is the radius of the triangle's inscribed circle?

1 Answer
Aug 1, 2016

Radius of triangle's inscribed circle is #0.52#

Explanation:

If the sides of a triangle are #a#, #b# and #c#, then the area of the triangle #Delta# is given by the formula

#Delta=sqrt(s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c))#, where #s=1/2(a+b+c)#

and radius of inscribed circle is #Delta/s#

Hence let us find the sides of triangle formed by #(2,5)#, #(4,8)# and #(4,6)#. This will be surely distance between pair of points, which is

#a=sqrt((4-2)^2+(8-5)^2)=sqrt(4+9)=sqrt13=3.6056#

#b=sqrt((4-4)^2+(6-8)^2)=sqrt(0+4)=sqrt4=2# and

#c=sqrt((4-2)^2+(6-5)^2)=sqrt(4+1)=sqrt5=2.2631#

Hence #s=1/2(3.6056+2+2.2631)=1/2xx7.8687=3.9344#

and #Delta=sqrt(3.9344xx(3.9344-3.6056)xx(3.9344-2)xx(3.9344-2.2631)#

= #sqrt(3.9344xx0.3288xx1.9344xx1.6713)=sqrt4.18226=2.045#

And radius of inscribed circle is #2.045/3.9344=0.52#