Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 180 of 400 #780 of 1964

Problem 780

AIME late
Geometry Difficulty 5.5 Find the answer

8.6. Points MM and NN are the midpoints of sides BCB C and ADA D of quadrilateral ABCDA B C D. It is known that B=\angle B= 150,C=90150^{\circ}, \angle C=90^{\circ} and AB=CDA B=C D. Find the angle between the lines MNM N and BCB C.

A number or a short expression. Spacing, $ signs and \frac vs / are all fine.

Official solution

Answer: 6060^{\circ}.

Solution. First method. Construct parallelogram ABMKA B M K and rectangle CDLMC D L M (see Fig. 8.6a). Since AKBCLDA K\|B C\| L D and AK=BM=A K=B M= MC=LDM C=L D, then AKDLA K D L is also a parallelogram. Therefore, the midpoint NN of its diagonal ADA D is also the midpoint of diagonal KLK L.

!

In triangle KML:KM=AB=CD=MLK M L: K M=A B=C D=M L and KML=KMCLMC=15090=60\angle K M L=\angle K M C-\angle L M C=150^{\circ}-90^{\circ}=60^{\circ}. Therefore, this triangle is equilateral. Hence, its median MNM N is also its bisector, so LMN=30\angle L M N=30^{\circ}, which means BMN=60\angle B M N=60^{\circ}.

Second method. Draw perpendiculars AQA Q and NPN P to line BCB C (see Fig. 8.6b). Let AQ=a,CM=BM=bA Q=a, C M=B M=b. Since ABQ\angle A B Q =30=30^{\circ}, then AB=CD=2a,BQ=a32A B=C D=2 a, B Q=\frac{a \sqrt{3}}{2}.

By Thales' theorem, QP=PCQ P=P C, so NPN P is the midline of trapezoid ADCQA D C Q. Then NP=32aN P=\frac{3}{2} a.

PM=CPCM=12CQb=(a3+2b)2b=a32P M=C P-C M=\frac{1}{2} C Q-b=\frac{(a \sqrt{3}+2 b)}{2}-b=\frac{a \sqrt{3}}{2}. From triangle NPMNPM by the Pythagorean theorem, we get that MN=a3M N=a \sqrt{3}, then PNM=30\angle P N M=30^{\circ}, and PMN=60\angle P M N=60^{\circ}.

Grading criteria.

“+" A complete and well-justified solution is provided

" ±\pm " A generally correct solution is provided, containing minor gaps or inaccuracies, for example, in the first method, correct additional constructions are made and the correct answer is obtained using the fact that AKDLAKDL is a parallelogram, but this is not separately proven

“Ғ” The idea of additional construction is present, but there is no further progress

“-" Only the answer is provided

“-" An incorrect solution is provided or it is absent

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.