Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 1.7 Junior Find the answer Canada

Each diagram shows a triangle, labelled with its area.

What is the correct ordering of the areas of these triangles?

Pick one

Solution

In each diagram, we label the origin (0,0)(0,0) as OO, the point (4,0)(4,0) as AA, the point (4,4)(4,4) as BB, and the point (0,4)(0,4) as CC.

Thus, in each diagram, square OABCOABC is 4 by 4 and so has area 1616.

In the first diagram, we label (1,4)(1,4) as EE and (4,1)(4,1) as FF.

In the second diagram, we label (0,1)(0,1) as GG and (3,0)(3,0) as HH.

In the third diagram, we label (2,0)(2,0) as JJ and (4,3)(4,3) as KK.

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In the first diagram, the area of OEF\triangle OEF equals the area of square OABCOABC minus the areas of OCE\triangle OCE, EBF\triangle EBF and FAO\triangle FAO.

Each of these three triangles is right-angled at a corner of the square.

Since OC=4OC=4 and CE=1CE=1, the area of OCE\triangle OCE is 12(4)(1)=2\frac{1}{2}(4)(1)=2.

Since EB=3EB=3 and BF=3BF=3, the area of EBF\triangle EBF is 12(3)(3)=92\frac{1}{2}(3)(3)=\frac{9}{2}.

Since FA=1FA=1 and AO=4AO=4, the area of FAO\triangle FAO is 12(1)(4)=2\frac{1}{2}(1)(4)=2.

Therefore, the area of OEF\triangle OEF equals 162922=15216-2-\frac{9}{2}-2=\frac{15}{2}, or m=152m = \frac{15}{2}.

In the second diagram, the area of GBH\triangle GBH equals the area of square OABCOABC minus the areas of GCB\triangle GCB, BAH\triangle BAH and HOG\triangle HOG.

Each of these three triangles is right-angled at a corner of the square.

Since GC=3GC=3 and CB=4CB=4, the area of GCB\triangle GCB is 12(3)(4)=6\frac{1}{2}(3)(4)=6.

Since BA=4BA=4 and AH=1AH=1, the area of BAH\triangle BAH is 12(4)(1)=2\frac{1}{2}(4)(1)=2.

Since HO=3HO=3 and OG=1OG=1, the area of HOG\triangle HOG is 12(1)(3)=32\frac{1}{2}(1)(3)=\frac{3}{2}.

Therefore, the area of HOG\triangle HOG equals 166232=13216-6-2-\frac{3}{2}=\frac{13}{2}, or n=132n = \frac{13}{2}.

In the third diagram, the area of CKJ\triangle CKJ equals the area of square OABCOABC minus the areas of CBK\triangle CBK, KAJ\triangle KAJ and JOC\triangle JOC.

Each of these three triangles is right-angled at a corner of the square.

Since CB=4CB=4 and BK=1BK=1, the area of CBK\triangle CBK is 12(4)(1)=2\frac{1}{2}(4)(1)=2.

Since KA=3KA=3 and AJ=2AJ=2, the area of KAJ\triangle KAJ is 12(3)(2)=3\frac{1}{2}(3)(2)=3.

Since JO=2JO=2 and OC=4OC=4, the area of JOC\triangle JOC is 12(2)(4)=4\frac{1}{2}(2)(4)=4.

Therefore, the area of CKJ\triangle CKJ equals 16234=716-2-3-4=7, or p=7p = 7.

Since m=152=712m=\frac{15}{2}=7\frac{1}{2}, and n=132=612n = \frac{13}{2}=6\frac{1}{2}, and p=7p=7, then n<p<mn<p<m.

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Source: CEMC, University of Waterloo, licensed CC-BY-NC-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.