CAT 2019 Question Paper | Quants Slot 2

Geometry questions can at times leave you wondering whether your CAT preparation online is going in the right direction or not! The trickier questions in Geometry have gotten the best of all of us at some time! One way to overcome this and steer your CAT preparation in the right direction is to practice CAT previous year paper. They help you understand the type of questions you can expect in the CAT exam and strategise your CAT online preparation accordingly. Don't wait! Start with this Geometry question from CAT 2019 Question Paper Slot 2.

Question 18 : The base of a regular pyramid is a square and each of the other four sides is an equilateral triangle, length of each side being 20 cm. The vertical height of the pyramid, in cm, is

1. 10\\sqrt{2})
2. 8\\sqrt{3})
3. 12
4. 5\\sqrt{5})

Video Explanation

Explanatory Answer

It is given that the diagram is a square pyramid and all 4 sides of the triangle are of equal sides.
Now, we need to plug in a right triangle and apply Pythagoras theorem to find the vertical height of the triangle.
Draw a vertical from the apex of the pyramid and draw a line to the base along the equilateral triangle. Connect the points in the base to form a right triangle.
The hypotenuse would be the slant height of the pyramid, which is the altitude of the equilateral triangle.
Length of the base = 10 cms
Hypotenuse = Altitude of the equilateral triangle = x 20 = 10cms
Therefore, (Vertical height)² = (10)² - 10² = 200
Vertical height = = 10cms

The question is "The base of a regular pyramid is a square and each of the other four sides is an equilateral triangle, length of each side being 20 cm. The vertical height of the pyramid, in cm, is"

Hence, the answer is 10\\sqrt{2})

Choice A is the correct answer.

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