Difference between revisions of "2007 AMC 12B Problems/Problem 20"

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D((0,c) -- ((-d-c)/(a-b),(-a*d-b*c)/(a-b)) -- (0,-d) -- ((c+d)/(a-b),-(-a*d-b*c)/(a-b)) -- cycle);
 
D((0,c) -- ((-d-c)/(a-b),(-a*d-b*c)/(a-b)) -- (0,-d) -- ((c+d)/(a-b),-(-a*d-b*c)/(a-b)) -- cycle);
 
</asy></center> -->
 
</asy></center> -->
Plotting the parallelogram on the coordinate plane, the 4 corners are at <math>(0,c),(0,d),\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b},\frac{ad-bc}{a-b}\right),\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b},\frac{bc-ad}{a-b}\right)</math>. Because <math>72= 4\cdot 18</math>, we have that <math>4(c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) = (c+d)\left(\frac{c+d}{a-b}\right)</math> or that <math>2(c-d)=c+d</math>, which gives <math>c=3d</math> (consider a [[homothety]], or dilation, that carries the first parallelogram to the second parallelogram; because the area increases by <math>4\times</math>, it follows that the stretch along the diagonal is <math>2\times</math>). The area of triangular half of the parallelogram on the right side of the y-axis is given by <math>9 = \frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b}\right)</math>, so substituting <math>c = 3d</math>:
+
Plotting the parallelogram on the coordinate plane, the 4 corners are at <math>(0,c),(0,d),\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b},\frac{ad-bc}{a-b}\right),\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b},\frac{bc-ad}{a-b}\right)</math>. Because <math>72= 4\cdot 18</math>, we have that <math>4(c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) = (c+d)\left(\frac{c+d}{a-b}\right)</math> or that <math>2(c-d)=c+d</math>, which gives <math>c=3d</math> (consider a [[homothety]], or dilation, that carries the first parallelogram to the second parallelogram; because the area increases by <math>4\times</math>, it follows that the stretch along the diagonal, or the ratio of side lengths, is <math>2\times</math>). The area of triangular half of the parallelogram on the right side of the y-axis is given by <math>9 = \frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b}\right)</math>, so substituting <math>c = 3d</math>:
 
<center><cmath>
 
<center><cmath>
 
\frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) &= 9 \quad \Longrightarrow \quad 2d^2 &= 9(a-b)</cmath></center>
 
\frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) &= 9 \quad \Longrightarrow \quad 2d^2 &= 9(a-b)</cmath></center>

Revision as of 17:53, 28 November 2014

Problem

The parallelogram bounded by the lines $y=ax+c$, $y=ax+d$, $y=bx+c$, and $y=bx+d$ has area $18$. The parallelogram bounded by the lines $y=ax+c$, $y=ax-d$, $y=bx+c$, and $y=bx-d$ has area $72$. Given that $a$, $b$, $c$, and $d$ are positive integers, what is the smallest possible value of $a+b+c+d$?

$\mathrm {(A)} 13\qquad \mathrm {(B)} 14\qquad \mathrm {(C)} 15\qquad \mathrm {(D)} 16\qquad \mathrm {(E)} 17$

Solution

Template:Incomplete Plotting the parallelogram on the coordinate plane, the 4 corners are at $(0,c),(0,d),\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b},\frac{ad-bc}{a-b}\right),\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b},\frac{bc-ad}{a-b}\right)$. Because $72= 4\cdot 18$, we have that $4(c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) = (c+d)\left(\frac{c+d}{a-b}\right)$ or that $2(c-d)=c+d$, which gives $c=3d$ (consider a homothety, or dilation, that carries the first parallelogram to the second parallelogram; because the area increases by $4\times$, it follows that the stretch along the diagonal, or the ratio of side lengths, is $2\times$). The area of triangular half of the parallelogram on the right side of the y-axis is given by $9 = \frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{d-c}{a-b}\right)$, so substituting $c = 3d$:

\[\frac{1}{2} (c-d)\left(\frac{c-d}{a-b}\right) &= 9 \quad \Longrightarrow \quad 2d^2 &= 9(a-b)\] (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)

Thus $3|d$, and we verify that $d = 3$, $a-b = 2 \Longrightarrow a = 3, b = 1$ will give us a minimum value for $a+b+c+d$. Then $a+b+c+d = 3 + 1 + 9 + 3 = 16\ \mathbf{(D)}$.

Solution 2

Template:Incomplete The key to this solution is that area is invariant under translation. By suitably shifting the plane, the problem is mapped to the lines $c,d,(b-a)x+c,(b-a)x+d$ and $c,-d,(b-a)x+c,(b-a)x-d$. Now, the area of the parallelogram contained by is the former is equal to the area of a rectangle with sides $d-c$ and $\frac{d-c}{b-a}$, $\frac{(d-c)^2}{b-a}=18$, and the area contained by the latter is $\frac{(c+d)^2}{b-a}=72$. Thus, $d=3c$ and $b-a$ must be even if the former quantity is to equal $18$. $c^2=18(b-a)$ so $c$ is a multiple of $3$. Putting this all together, the minimal solution for $(a,b,c,d)=(3,1,3,9)$, so the sum is $\boxed{\textbf{(D)} 16}$.

See also

2007 AMC 12B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
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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