Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Find the answer

[ [ Pythagorean Theorem (direct and inverse). ]

Given triangle ABCABC with base ABAB, equal to 32\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, and height CHCH, dropped to this base and equal to 63\frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}. It is known that point HH lies on ABAB and AH:HB=2:1AH: HB=2: 1. A circle is inscribed in angle ABCABC of triangle ABCABC, with its center lying on the height CHCH. Find the radius of this circle.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

The center of the specified circle divides the height CHC H into segments proportional to the segments BHB H and CHC H.

## Solution

Let OO be the center of the specified circle, and rr be its radius. Since the center of a circle inscribed in an angle lies on the angle bisector, BOB O is the bisector of triangle BHCB H C. Since OHABO H \perp A B, OHO H is the radius of the circle. In this triangle,

CH=63,BH=13AB=36,BC=CH2+BH2=69+336=32. C H=\frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}, \quad B H=\frac{1}{3} A B=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{6}, \quad B C=\sqrt{C H^{2}+B H^{2}}=\sqrt{\frac{6}{9}+\frac{3}{36}}=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}.

By the property of the angle bisector of a triangle,

OHOC=BHBC=3632=13 \frac{O H}{O C}=\frac{B H}{B C}=\frac{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{6}}{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}}=\frac{1}{3}

Therefore,

r=14CH=1463=612 r=\frac{1}{4} \cdot C H=\frac{1}{4} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}=\frac{\sqrt{6}}{12}

!

## Answer

612\frac{\sqrt{6}}{12}.

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.