1963 AHSME Problems/Problem 12

Problem

Three vertices of parallelogram $PQRS$ are $P(-3,-2), Q(1,-5), R(9,1)$ with $P$ and $R$ diagonally opposite. The sum of the coordinates of vertex $S$ is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 13 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 12 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 11 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 10 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 9$

Solution

[asy]  import graph; size(7.22 cm); real lsf=0.5; pen dps=linewidth(0.7)+fontsize(10); defaultpen(dps); pen ds=black; real xmin=-4.2,xmax=10.2,ymin=-6.2,ymax=5.2;  pen cqcqcq=rgb(0.75,0.75,0.75), evevff=rgb(0.9,0.9,1), zzttqq=rgb(0.6,0.2,0);   /*grid*/ pen gs=linewidth(0.7)+cqcqcq+linetype("2 2"); real gx=1,gy=1; for(real i=ceil(xmin/gx)*gx;i<=floor(xmax/gx)*gx;i+=gx) draw((i,ymin)--(i,ymax),gs); for(real i=ceil(ymin/gy)*gy;i<=floor(ymax/gy)*gy;i+=gy) draw((xmin,i)--(xmax,i),gs);  Label laxis; laxis.p=fontsize(10);  xaxis(xmin,xmax,defaultpen+black,Ticks(laxis,Step=1.0,Size=2,NoZero),Arrows(6),above=true); yaxis(ymin,ymax,defaultpen+black,Ticks(laxis,Step=1.0,Size=2,NoZero),Arrows(6),above=true); clip((xmin,ymin)--(xmin,ymax)--(xmax,ymax)--(xmax,ymin)--cycle);  dot((-3,-2)); label("P",(-3,-2),NW); dot((1,-5)); label("Q",(1,-5),NW); dot((9,1)); label("R",(9,1),NW);  [/asy] Graph the three points on the coordinate grid. Noting that the opposite sides of a parallelogram are congruent and parallel, count boxes to find out that point $S$ is on $(5,4)$. The sum of the x-coordinates and y-coordinates is $9$, so the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(E)}}$.

See Also

1963 AHSC (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 11
Followed by
Problem 13
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