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Difference between revisions of "2019 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 21"

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==Solution==
 
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The triangle is placed on the sphere so that three sides are tangent to the sphere. The cross-section of the sphere created by the plane of the triangle is also the incircle of the triangle. To find the inradius, use <math>\text{area} = \text{inradius} \cdot \text{semiperimeter}</math>. The area of the triangle can be found by drawing an altitude from the vertex between sides with length <math>15</math> to the midpoint of the side with length <math>24</math>. Pythagorean triples <math>9</math> - <math>12</math> - <math>15</math> show the base is <math>24</math> and height is 9. <math>\frac {\text{base} \cdot \text{height}} {2}</math> can be used to find the area of the triangle, <math>108</math>. The semiperimeter is <math>\frac {15 + 15 + 24} {2} = 27</math> After plugging into the equation <math>108 = \text{inradius} \cdot 27</math>, we get <math>\text{inradius} = 4</math>. Let the distance between <math>O</math> and the triangle be <math>x</math>. Choose a point on the incircle <math>A</math>. <math>\overline{OA}</math> is <math>6</math> because it is the radius of the sphere. Point <math>A</math> to the center of the incircle is length <math>4</math> because it is the inradius of the incircle. By using Pythagorean Theorem, you will get that <math>x</math> is <math>\textbf {(D)} 2 \sqrt {5}</math>.
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The triangle is placed on the sphere so that three sides are tangent to the sphere. The cross-section of the sphere created by the plane of the triangle is also the incircle of the triangle. To find the inradius, use <math>\text{area} = \text{inradius} \cdot \text{semiperimeter}</math>. The area of the triangle can be found by drawing an altitude from the vertex between sides with length <math>15</math> to the midpoint of the side with length <math>24</math>. Pythagorean triples <math>9</math> - <math>12</math> - <math>15</math> show the base is <math>24</math> and height is 9. <math>\frac {\text{base} \cdot \text{height}} {2}</math> can be used to find the area of the triangle, <math>108</math>. The semiperimeter is <math>\frac {15 + 15 + 24} {2} = 27</math> After plugging into the equation <math>108 = \text{inradius} \cdot 27</math>, we get <math>\text{inradius} = 4</math>. Let the distance between <math>O</math> and the triangle be <math>x</math>. Choose a point on the incircle <math>A</math>. <math>\overline{OA}</math> is <math>6</math> because it is the radius of the sphere. Point <math>A</math> to the center of the incircle is length <math>4</math> because it is the inradius of the incircle. By using Pythagorean Theorem, you will get that <math>x</math> is <math>\boxed{\textbf {(D)} 2 \sqrt {5}}</math>.
  
 
- ViolinGod(Argonauts16 latex)
 
- ViolinGod(Argonauts16 latex)

Revision as of 18:36, 9 February 2019

The following problem is from both the 2019 AMC 10A #21 and 2019 AMC 12A #18, so both problems redirect to this page.

Problem

A sphere with center $O$ has radius $6$. A triangle with sides of length $15, 15,$ and $24$ is situated in space so that each of its sides is tangent to the sphere. What is the distance between $O$ and the plane determined by the triangle?

$\textbf{(A) }2\sqrt{3}\qquad \textbf{(B) }4\qquad \textbf{(C) }3\sqrt{2}\qquad \textbf{(D) }2\sqrt{5}\qquad \textbf{(E) }5\qquad$

Solution

The triangle is placed on the sphere so that three sides are tangent to the sphere. The cross-section of the sphere created by the plane of the triangle is also the incircle of the triangle. To find the inradius, use $\text{area} = \text{inradius} \cdot \text{semiperimeter}$. The area of the triangle can be found by drawing an altitude from the vertex between sides with length $15$ to the midpoint of the side with length $24$. Pythagorean triples $9$ - $12$ - $15$ show the base is $24$ and height is 9. $\frac {\text{base} \cdot \text{height}} {2}$ can be used to find the area of the triangle, $108$. The semiperimeter is $\frac {15 + 15 + 24} {2} = 27$ After plugging into the equation $108 = \text{inradius} \cdot 27$, we get $\text{inradius} = 4$. Let the distance between $O$ and the triangle be $x$. Choose a point on the incircle $A$. $\overline{OA}$ is $6$ because it is the radius of the sphere. Point $A$ to the center of the incircle is length $4$ because it is the inradius of the incircle. By using Pythagorean Theorem, you will get that $x$ is $\boxed{\textbf {(D)} 2 \sqrt {5}}$.

- ViolinGod(Argonauts16 latex)

See Also

2019 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 20 		Followed by
Problem 22
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions
2019 AMC 12A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 17 		Followed by
Problem 19
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions

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