In β³ABC, AB=10, AC=18, and β B=130β. Let O be the center of the circle containing points A,B,C. What is the degree measure of β CAO?
Answer Choices:
A. 20
B. 30
C. 40
D. 50
E. 60
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Let O be the circumcenter of β³ABC. Since β ABC=130β, we can say that β³ABC is obtuse and hence contained within one half of the circle as shown.
Let D be a point on the opposite side of the arc ABC. Now we have a cyclic quadrilateral ABCD. As opposite angles in a cyclic quadrilateral add to 180β, we have β ADC=180βββ ABC=180ββ130β=50β. Therefore, as central angles are twice the inscribed angles, we have
β AOC=2β ADC=2β 50β=100β
Finally, we see that the β³AOC is isosceles and therefore