Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 4.9 AIME Prove it United States

Problem:

Let ABCABC be an isosceles triangle with apex AA. Let II be the incenter. If AI=3AI = 3 and the distance from II to BCBC is 22, then what is the length of BCBC?

Solution

Solution:

Let XX and YY be the points where the incircle touches ABAB and BCBC, respectively. Then AXIAXI and AYBAYB are similar right triangles. Since II is the incenter, we have IX=IY=2IX = IY = 2. Using the Pythagorean theorem on triangle AXIAXI, we find AX=5AX = \sqrt{5}. By similarity, AY/AX=BY/IXAY / AX = BY / IX. Plugging in the numbers given, 5/5=BY/25 / \sqrt{5} = BY / 2, so BY=25BY = 2\sqrt{5}. YY is the midpoint of BCBC, so BC=45BC = 4\sqrt{5}.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.