Find the dihedral angle between the adjacent side faces of a regular quadrangular pyramid with all edges equal to 1.
Let EABCD be a given quadrangular pyramid (E is a top, ABCD is a base). By the condition AB = BC = EA = 1.
We draw the height AH of the side face EAB (H belongs to EB), in a regular triangle AH will also be the median (BH = 1/2). CH – also the height of the side edge of the ECB. The CHA angle is the desired angle.
Let us find the lengths АH by the Pythagorean theorem:
AH = √ (AB² – BH²) = √ (1² – (1/2) ²) = √ (1 – 1/4) = √ (3/4) = √3 / 2.
The CH length will also be √3 / 2 (since the side faces are equal).
Let’s find the length АС, the diagonals of the square АBСD:
AC = √ (AB² + BC²) = √ (1² + 1²) = √2.
By the theorem of cosines in the triangle ACH:
AC² = AB² + BC² – 2 * AB * BC * cosH.
(√2) ² = (√ (3/4) ² + (√3 / 4) ² – 2 * √ (3/4) * √ (3/4) * cosH.
2 = 3/4 + 3/4 – 2 * 3/4 * cosH.
2 = 6/4 – 3/2 * cosH.
2 = 1.5 – 1.5 * cosH.
1.5cosH = 1.5 – 2.
1.5cosH = -0.5.
cosH = -0.5: 1.5 = -1/3.
angle H = arccos (-1/3).
Answer: The angle is arccos (-1/3).
