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Geometry Difficulty 3.5 AMC 10/12 Find the answer

In QRS\triangle Q R S, point TT is on QSQ S with QRT=SRT\angle Q R T=\angle S R T. Suppose that QT=mQ T=m and TS=nT S=n for some integers mm and nn with n>mn>m and for which n+mn+m is a multiple of nmn-m. Suppose also that the perimeter of QRS\triangle Q R S is pp and that the number of possible integer values for pp is m2+2m1m^{2}+2 m-1. What is the value of nmn-m?

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

Solution

In this solution, we will use two geometric results: (i) The Triangle Inequality This result says that, in ABC\triangle A B C, each of the following inequalities is true: AB+BC>ACAC+BC>ABAB+AC>BCA B+B C>A C \quad A C+B C>A B \quad A B+A C>B C. This result comes from the fact that the shortest distance between two points is the length of the straight line segment joining those two points. For example, the shortest distance between the points AA and CC is the length of the line segment ACA C. Thus, the path from AA to CC through a point BB not on ACA C, which has length AB+BCA B+B C, is longer. This explanation tells us that AB+BC>ACA B+B C>A C. (ii) The Angle Bisector Theorem In the given triangle, we are told that QRT=SRT\angle Q R T=\angle S R T. This tells us that RTR T is an angle bisector of QRS\angle Q R S. The Angle Bisector Theorem says that, since RTR T is the angle bisector of QRS\angle Q R S, then QTTS=RQRS\frac{Q T}{T S}=\frac{R Q}{R S}. The Angle Bisector Theorem can be proven using the sine law: In RQT\triangle R Q T, we have RQsin(RTQ)=QTsin(QRT)\frac{R Q}{\sin (\angle R T Q)}=\frac{Q T}{\sin (\angle Q R T)}. In RST\triangle R S T, we have RSsin(RTS)=TSsin(SRT)\frac{R S}{\sin (\angle R T S)}=\frac{T S}{\sin (\angle S R T)}. Dividing the first equation by the second, we obtain RQsin(RTS)RSsin(RTQ)=QTsin(SRT)TSsin(QRT)\frac{R Q \sin (\angle R T S)}{R S \sin (\angle R T Q)}=\frac{Q T \sin (\angle S R T)}{T S \sin (\angle Q R T)}. Since QRT=SRT\angle Q R T=\angle S R T, then sin(QRT)=sin(SRT)\sin (\angle Q R T)=\sin (\angle S R T). Since RTQ=180RTS\angle R T Q=180^{\circ}-\angle R T S, then sin(RTQ)=sin(RTS)\sin (\angle R T Q)=\sin (\angle R T S). Combining these three equalities, we obtain RQRS=QTTS\frac{R Q}{R S}=\frac{Q T}{T S}, as required. We now begin our solution to the problem. By the Angle Bisector Theorem, RQRS=QTTS=mn\frac{R Q}{R S}=\frac{Q T}{T S}=\frac{m}{n}. Therefore, we can set RQ=kmR Q=k m and RS=knR S=k n for some real number k>0k>0. By the Triangle Inequality, RQ+RS>QSR Q+R S>Q S. This is equivalent to the inequality km+kn>m+nk m+k n>m+n or k(m+n)>m+nk(m+n)>m+n. Since m+n>0m+n>0, this is equivalent to k>1k>1. Using the Triangle Inequality a second time, we know that RQ+QS>RSR Q+Q S>R S. This is equivalent to km+m+n>knk m+m+n>k n, which gives k(nm)<n+mk(n-m)<n+m. Since n>mn>m, then nm>0n-m>0 and so we obtain k<n+mnmk<\frac{n+m}{n-m}. (Since we already know that RS>RQR S>R Q, a third application of the Triangle Inequality will not give any further information. Can you see why?) The perimeter, pp, of QRS\triangle Q R S is RQ+RS+QS=km+kn+m+n=(k+1)(m+n)R Q+R S+Q S=k m+k n+m+n=(k+1)(m+n). Since k>1k>1, then p>2(m+n)p>2(m+n). Since 2(m+n)2(m+n) is an integer, then the smallest possible integer value of pp is 2m+2n+12 m+2 n+1. Since k<n+mnmk<\frac{n+m}{n-m}, then p<(n+mnm+1)(n+m)p<\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m). Since n+mn+m is a multiple of nmn-m, then (n+mnm+1)(n+m)\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m) is an integer, and so the largest possible integer value of pp is (n+mnm+1)(n+m)1\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m)-1. Every possible value of pp between 2m+2n+12 m+2 n+1 and (n+mnm+1)(n+m)1\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m)-1, inclusive, can actually be achieved. We can see this by starting with point RR almost at point TT and then continuously pulling RR away from QSQ S while keeping the ratio RQRS\frac{R Q}{R S} fixed until the triangle is almost flat with RSR S along RQR Q and QSQ S. We know that the smallest possible integer value of pp is 2m+2n+12 m+2 n+1 and the largest possible integer value of pp is (n+mnm+1)(n+m)1\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m)-1. The number of integers in this range is ((n+mnm+1)(n+m)1)(2m+2n+1)+1\left(\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m)-1\right)-(2 m+2 n+1)+1. From the given information, the number of possible integer values of pp is m2+2m1m^{2}+2 m-1. Therefore, we obtain the following equivalent equations: ((n+mnm+1)(n+m)1)(2m+2n+1)+1=m2+2m1\left(\left(\frac{n+m}{n-m}+1\right)(n+m)-1\right)-(2 m+2 n+1)+1 =m^{2}+2 m-1. Solving this, we find nm=4n-m=4.

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