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Geometry Difficulty 3.2 AMC 10/12 Find the answer

In a rhombus PQRSP Q R S with PQ=QR=RS=SP=SQ=6P Q=Q R=R S=S P=S Q=6 and PT=RT=14P T=R T=14, what is the length of STS T?

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

Solution

First, we note that PQS\triangle P Q S and RQS\triangle R Q S are equilateral. Join PP to RR. Since PQRSP Q R S is a rhombus, then PRP R and QSQ S bisect each other at their point of intersection, MM, and are perpendicular. Note that QM=MS=12QS=3Q M=M S=\frac{1}{2} Q S=3. Since PSQ=60\angle P S Q=60^{\circ}, then PM=PSsin(PSM)=6sin(60)=6(32)=33P M=P S \sin (\angle P S M)=6 \sin \left(60^{\circ}\right)=6\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right)=3 \sqrt{3}. Since PT=TRP T=T R, then PRT\triangle P R T is isosceles. Since MM is the midpoint of PRP R, then TMT M is perpendicular to PRP R. Since SMS M is also perpendicular to PRP R, then SS lies on TMT M. By the Pythagorean Theorem in PMT\triangle P M T, since MT>0M T>0, we have MT=PT2PM2=142(33)2=19627=169=13M T=\sqrt{P T^{2}-P M^{2}}=\sqrt{14^{2}-(3 \sqrt{3})^{2}}=\sqrt{196-27}=\sqrt{169}=13. Therefore, ST=MTMS=133=10S T=M T-M S=13-3=10.

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