(09.08hc)
prove that the two circles shown below are similar.

Here is their argument. given the obtuse angle x, we make a quadrilateral abcd with ∠dab = x, and ∠abc = 90◦, and ad = bc. say the perpendicular bisector to dc meets the perpendicular bisector to ab at p. then pa = pb and pc = pd. so the triangles pad and pbc have equal sides and are congruent. thus ∠pad = ∠pbc. but pab is isosceles, hence ∠pab = ∠pba. subtracting, gives x = ∠pad−∠pab = ∠pbc −∠pba = 90◦. this is a preposterous conclusion – just where is the mistake in the "proof" and why does the argument break down there?

One-third of the people from country a claim that they are from country b, and the rest admit they are from country a. one-fourth of the people from country claim that they are from country a, and the rest admit they are from country b. in a combined census of the two countries, one-half of the total claimed to be from a. what is the ratio of the populations of country a to that of country b.

Aroulette wheel has 38 slots in which the ball can land. two of the slots are green, 18 are red, and 18 are black. the ball is equally likely to land in any slot. the roulette wheel is going to be spun twice, and the outcomes of the two spins are independent. the probability that it lands one time on red and another time on black in any order is(a) 0.5 (b) 0.25 (c) 0.4488 (d) 0.2244