Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2014

Geometry Difficulty 2.3 Junior Find the answer Canada

PQRSPQRS is a square with side length 8. Points TT and UU are on PSPS and QRQR respectively with QU=TS=1QU=TS=1.

The length of TUTU is closest to

Pick one

Solution

We draw a line through TT to point WW on QRQR so that TWTW is perpendicular to QRQR.

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Since TWRSTWRS has three right angles (at WW, RR and SS), then it must be a rectangle.

Therefore, WR=TS=1WR=TS=1 and TW=SR=8TW=SR=8.

Since QU=1QU=1, then UW=QRQUWR=811=6UW = QR - QU - WR = 8 - 1- 1 = 6.

Now, TWU\triangle TWU is right-angled at WW.

By the Pythagorean Theorem, we have TU2=TW2+UW2TU^2 = TW^2 + UW^2.

Thus, TU2=82+62=64+36=100TU^2 = 8^2 + 6^2 = 64+36=100.

Since TU>0TU>0, then TU=100=10TU = \sqrt{100}=10.

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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.