Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.1 AIME, harder Find the answer

In triangle ABCA B C with altitude AD,BAC=45,DB=3A D, \angle B A C=45^{\circ}, D B=3, and CD=2C D=2. Find the area of triangle ABCA B C.

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

Solution

Suppose first that DD lies between BB and CC. Let ABCA B C be inscribed in circle ω\omega, and extend ADA D to intersect ω\omega again at EE. Note that AA subtends a quarter of the circle, so in particular, the chord through CC perpendicular to BCB C and parallel to ADA D has length BC=5B C=5. Therefore, AD=5+DEA D=5+D E. By power of a point, 6=BDDC=ADDE=6=B D \cdot D C=A D \cdot D E= AD25ADA D^{2}-5 A D, implying AD=6A D=6, so the area of ABCA B C is 12BCAD=15\frac{1}{2} B C \cdot A D=15. If DD does not lie between BB and CC, then BC=1B C=1, so AA lies on a circle of radius 2/2\sqrt{2} / 2 through BB and CC. But then it is easy to check that the perpendicular to BCB C through DD cannot intersect the circle, a contradiction.

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