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Algebra Difficulty 1.7 Junior Find the answer Canada

In the diagram, each of aa,
bb and cc is greater than zero.

Figure 0

Which of the following expressions is not equal to the
perimeter of this polygon?

Figure for this problem

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Pick one

Solution

In the first diagram shown, we label the vertices of the polygon
and the length ST=cST=c, since ST=QRST=QR.

Figure 1

Next, we extend UTUT by a length
equal to SRSR, and we extend QRQR by a length equal to STST, as shown in the second diagram.

Figure 2

Each of the angles in the polygon is a right angle, and so these two
extended line segments are perpendicular to each other and will meet at
a point that we label VV.

That is, STVRSTVR is a rectangle with
TV=SR=bTV=SR=b and RV=ST=cRV=ST=c.

Each of the following expressions is equal to the perimeter of the
original polygon amp;PQ+QR+SR+ST+TU+PU= amp;PQ+QR+ST+SR+TU+PU (reordering the lengths)= amp;PQ+QR+RV+TV+TU+PU (since RV=ST and TV=SR)= amp;PQ+QV+UV+PU (since QR+RV=QV and TV+TU=UV)\begin{align*} &PQ+QR+SR+ST+TU+PU\\ =\ & PQ+QR+ST+SR+TU+PU\ (\text{reordering the lengths})\\ =\ & PQ+QR+RV+TV+TU+PU\ (\text{since }RV=ST \text{ and } TV=SR)\\ =\ & PQ+QV+UV+PU\ (\text{since }QR+RV=QV \text{ and } TV+TU=UV)\end{align*} which is the perimeter of PQVUPQVU.

Each of the angles in PQVUPQVU is a
right angle, and PQ=PUPQ=PU, and thus
PQVUPQVU is a square.

Since PQ=UV=UT+TV=a+bPQ=UV=UT+TV=a+b, and PU=QV=QR+RV=c+c=2cPU=QV=QR+RV=c+c=2c, then a+b=2ca+b=2c.

Summarizing, the perimeter of the original polygon is equal to the
perimeter of square PQVUPQVU, and each
side length of square PQVUPQVU can be
expressed as a+ba+b or as 2c2c since a+b=2ca+b=2c.

If each of the 44 side lengths is
expressed as a+ba+b, then the
perimeter of PQVUPQVU (and thus the
perimeter of the original polygon), is equal to (a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)=4a+4b(a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)=4a+4b.

If 33 side lengths are expressed as
a+ba+b and 11 side length is expressed as 2c2c, then the perimeter is (a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)+(2c)=3a+3b+2c(a+b)+(a+b)+(a+b)+(2c)=3a+3b+2c.

If 22 side lengths are expressed as
a+ba+b and 22 side lengths are expressed as 2c2c, then the perimeter is (a+b)+(a+b)+(2c)+(2c)=2a+2b+4c(a+b)+(a+b)+(2c)+(2c)=2a+2b+4c.

If 11 side length is expressed as
a+ba+b and 33 side lengths are expressed as 2c2c, then the perimeter is (a+b)+(2c)+(2c)+(2c)=a+b+6c(a+b)+(2c)+(2c)+(2c)=a+b+6c.

Finally, if all 44 sides lengths are
expressed as 2c2c, the perimeter is
(2c)+(2c)+(2c)+(2c)=8c(2c)+(2c)+(2c)+(2c)=8c.

Of the expressions given, a+b+7ca+b+7c
remains, and since a+b+7c=2c+7c=9ca+b+7c=2c+7c=9c
is not equal to the perimeter, then the correct answer is (B).

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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.