Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 156 of 400 #756 of 1964

Problem 756

AIME late
Geometry Difficulty 5.4 Find the answer

3. Given a triangle PEF\mathrm{PEF} with sides PE=3,PF=5,EF=7\mathrm{PE}=3, \mathrm{PF}=5, \mathrm{EF}=7. On the extension of side FP\mathrm{FP} beyond point P\mathrm{P}, a segment PA=1.5\mathrm{PA}=1.5 is laid out. Find the distance dd between the centers of the circumcircles of triangles EPA\mathrm{EPA} and EAF\mathrm{EAF}. In the answer, specify the number equal to 2d2d.

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

Official solution

3. By the cosine theorem for angle EPF, we find that CosEPF=12\operatorname{Cos} E P F=-\frac{1}{2}. Therefore, the angle EPF=120\mathrm{EPF}=120^{\circ}; hence the adjacent angle will be 6060^{\circ}. Draw a perpendicular from point E to PF, meeting at point D. Since angle EPF is obtuse, point D will lie outside triangle EPF. In the right triangle PED, PD lies opposite the angle 3030^{\circ}, so PD=12EP=1.5\mathrm{PD}=\frac{1}{2} \mathrm{EP}=1.5. Therefore, point D coincides with point A. Thus, we have two right triangles: EAP and EAF. The centers of the circumcircles of these triangles lie on the midpoints of the corresponding hypotenuses. Therefore, the desired distance is equal to the midline of triangle EPF, i.e., d=2.5d=2.5. Hence, the answer is: {5}\{5\}.

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