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Geometry Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Find the answer

G3.3 In Figure 1,A=60,B=D=90.BC=2,CD=31, \angle A=60^{\circ}, \angle B=\angle D=90^{\circ} . B C=2, C D=3 and AB=xA B=x, find the value of xx.

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

Solution

AC2=x2+4AD2=AC232=x25 \begin{aligned} A C^{2} & =x^{2}+4 \\ A D^{2} & =A C^{2}-3^{2} \\ & =x^{2}-5 \end{aligned}
(Pythagoras' Theorem on ABC\triangle A B C )
(Pythagoras' Theorem on ACD\triangle A C D )
BD2=x2+(x25)2xx25cos60B D^{2}=x^{2}+\left(x^{2}-5\right)-2 x \sqrt{x^{2}-5} \cos 60^{\circ} (cosine rule on ABD\triangle A B D )
BD2=22+32223cos120B D^{2}=2^{2}+3^{2}-2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cos 120^{\circ}
(cosine rule on BCD\triangle B C D )
2x25xx25=13+6\therefore 2 x^{2}-5-x \sqrt{x^{2}-5}=13+6
xx25=2x224x \sqrt{x^{2}-5}=2 x^{2}-24
x2(x25)=4x496x2+576 x^{2}\left(x^{2}-5\right)=4 x^{4}-96 x^{2}+576
3x491x2+576=03 x^{4}-91 x^{2}+576=0
(x29)(3x264)=0x=3 or 83 \begin{array}{l} \left(x^{2}-9\right)\left(3 x^{2}-64\right)=0 \\ x=3 \text { or } \frac{8}{\sqrt{3}} \end{array}

When x=3,AD=x25=2x=3, A D=\sqrt{x^{2}-5}=2
tanBAC=23,tanCAD=32=tan(90BAC)\tan \angle B A C=\frac{2}{3}, \tan \angle C A D=\frac{3}{2}=\tan \left(90^{\circ}-\angle B A C\right)
BAD=9060\angle B A D=90^{\circ} \neq 60^{\circ} \therefore reject x=3x=3
When x=83,AD=x25=73x=\frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}, A D=\sqrt{x^{2}-5}=\frac{7}{\sqrt{3}}
tanBAC=34,tanCAD=337\tan \angle B A C=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}, \tan \angle C A D=\frac{3 \sqrt{3}}{7}
Method 2
BD2=22+32223cos120B D^{2}=2^{2}+3^{2}-2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cos 120^{\circ}
(cosine rule on BCD\triangle B C D )
BD=19B D=\sqrt{19}
ABC+ADC=180\angle A B C+\angle A D C=180^{\circ}
A,B,C,DA, B, C, D are concyclic
(opp. \angle s supp.)
AC=x2+4=A C=\sqrt{x^{2}+4}= diameter =2R=2 R
(converse, \angle in semi-circle, R=R= radius)
BDsin60=2R\frac{B D}{\sin 60^{\circ}}=2 R (Sine rule on ABD\triangle A B D ) tan(BAC+CAD)=34+337134337=19319=3=tan601932=x2+4\tan (\angle B A C+\angle C A D)=\frac{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}+\frac{3 \sqrt{3}}{7}}{1-\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} \cdot \frac{3 \sqrt{3}}{7}}=\frac{19 \sqrt{3}}{19}=\sqrt{3}=\tan 60^{\circ} \frac{\sqrt{19}}{\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}}=\sqrt{x^{2}+4}
x=83=833\therefore x=\frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}=\frac{8}{3} \sqrt{3}
76=3x2+12x=83=833 \begin{array}{l} 76=3 x^{2}+12 \\ x=\frac{8}{\sqrt{3}}=\frac{8}{3} \sqrt{3} \end{array}

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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.