Cyclic pentagon ABCDE has side lengths AB=BC=5,CD=DE=12, and AE=14. Determine the radius of its circumcircle.
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Solution
Let C′ be the point on minor arc BCD such that BC′=12 and C′D=5, and write AC′=BD=C′E=x,AD=y, and BD=z. Ptolemy applied to quadrilaterals ABC′D,BC′DE, and ABDE gives x2=12y+52x2=5z+122yz=14x+5⋅12 Then (x2−52)(x2−122)=5⋅12yz=5⋅12⋅14x+52⋅122 from which x3−169x−5⋅12⋅14=0. Noting that x>13, the rational root theorem leads quickly to the root x=15. Then triangle BCD has area 16⋅1⋅4⋅11=811 and circumradius R=4⋅8115⋅12⋅15=8822511.
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