Answer To The Hardest Easy Geometry Problem

There are two main principles to solving the problem. The first
is that all the angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees. The second
is that in an isosceles triangle, there are two equal angles oppo-
site two equal sides. Knowing a triangle has two equal angles
means the sides opposite are equal, and knowing there are two
equal sides means the angles opposite are equal.

The proof involves working through a series of isosceles trian-

gles. To get started, draw line segment BG such that CBG is equal
to 20 degrees.

In triangle CBG, we know one angle is 20 degrees and other is 80

degrees, for a total of 100 degrees. So the triangle’s angles sum to
180, we can solve that ∠CGB = 80 degrees. This means triangle
CBG is an isosceles triangle, and BC = BG.

Angles CBG and BGE form a straight line so they must add up to
180 degrees. This means angle BGE equals 100 degrees.

Then, focusing on triangle BGE, we can solve that ∠BEG = 40 de-

grees, because it has to be 180 minus the known angles of 40 and
100. Triangle BGE has two angles equal to 40 degrees, so this is
another isosceles triangle, so BG = GE.

Then, focusing on triangle BFC, we can solve that ∠BFC = 50 de-

grees, which means triangle BFC is another isosceles triangle.
This means BF = BC.

We have proven BC = BG = GE = BF.

Now we create another triangle BFG. Since BG = BF, we know the

opposite angles must be equal. (If you are following along with
the video, I misspoke this step in the video at 5:04. I meant to say
sides BG and BF are equal.)

The third angle in the triangle, ∠GBF, is 60 degrees, so the re-

maining angles have to be half of 180 – 60. This is (180 – 60)/2 =
60 degrees. In other words, all 3 angles are equal so BFG is an
equilateral triangle. All of its sides must be equal, so GF = BF.

We have figured out a lot of information. There is just one more

triangle that is necessary to consider, so below is a diagram fo-
cusing on triangle GFE that omits the non-essential information.

We know GF = GE, so we once again have an isosceles triangle,

and we know the vertex angle is equal to 40 degrees. This means
the remaining angles are one-half of 180 – 40, which is 70 de-
grees.

Finally, we know that 40 + x has to be equal to 70, so that means

x = 30 degrees.

And that’s the answer! The value of x is 30 degrees.