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Geometry Difficulty 4.8 AIME Find the answer China

The curve represented by the equation x2sin2sin3+y2cos2cos3=1\frac{x^2}{\sin\sqrt{2} - \sin\sqrt{3}} + \frac{y^2}{\cos\sqrt{2} - \cos\sqrt{3}} = 1 is:

Pick one

Solution

Since 2+3>π\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3} > \pi, so 0<π22<3π2<π20 < \frac{\pi}{2} - \sqrt{2} < \sqrt{3} - \frac{\pi}{2} < \frac{\pi}{2} and
cos(π22)>cos(3π2), i.e. sin2>sin3. \cos(\frac{\pi}{2} - \sqrt{2}) > \cos(\sqrt{3} - \frac{\pi}{2}), \text{ i.e. } \sin\sqrt{2} > \sin\sqrt{3}.

Since
(sin2sin3)(cos2cos3)=22sin232sin(2+32+π4)() (\sin\sqrt{2} - \sin\sqrt{3}) - (\cos\sqrt{2} - \cos\sqrt{3}) = 2\sqrt{2}\sin\frac{\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{3}}{2}\sin\left(\frac{\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}}{2} + \frac{\pi}{4}\right) \quad (*)
and
π2<232<0, -\frac{\pi}{2} < \frac{\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{3}}{2} < 0,
we get
sin232<0,π2<2+32<3π4, \sin\frac{\sqrt{2}-\sqrt{3}}{2} < 0, \quad \frac{\pi}{2} < \frac{\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}}{2} < \frac{3\pi}{4},
3π4<2+32+π4<π, \frac{3\pi}{4} < \frac{\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}}{2} + \frac{\pi}{4} < \pi,
sin(2+32+π4)>0, \sin\left(\frac{\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}}{2} + \frac{\pi}{4}\right) > 0,

so the expression ()(*) is less than 00.
That is sin2sin3<cos3cos2\sin\sqrt{2} - \sin\sqrt{3} < \cos\sqrt{3} - \cos\sqrt{2}, therefore the curve is an ellipse with foci on the y-axes. Answer: C.

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