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Difference between revisions of "2010 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 17"

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== Solution 1==
 
== Solution 1==
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It is clear that <math>\triangle ACE</math> is an equilateral triangle. From the [[Law of Cosines]], we get that <math>AC^2 = r^2+1^2-2r\cos{\frac{2\pi}{3}} = r^2+r+1</math>. Therefore, the area of <math>\triangle ACE</math> is <math>\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r^2+r+1)</math>.
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It is clear that <math>\triangle ACE</math> is an equilateral triangle. From the [[Law of Cosines]] on <math>\triangle ABC</math>, we get that <math>AC^2 = r^2+1^2-2r\cos{\frac{2\pi}{3}} = r^2+r+1</math>. Therefore, the area of <math>\triangle ACE</math> is <math>\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r^2+r+1)</math>.
  
 
If we extend <math>BC</math>, <math>DE</math> and <math>FA</math> so that <math>FA</math> and <math>BC</math> meet at <math>X</math>, <math>BC</math> and <math>DE</math> meet at <math>Y</math>, and <math>DE</math> and <math>FA</math> meet at <math>Z</math>, we find that hexagon <math>ABCDEF</math> is formed by taking equilateral triangle <math>XYZ</math> of side length <math>r+2</math> and removing three equilateral triangles, <math>ABX</math>, <math>CDY</math> and <math>EFZ</math>, of side length <math>1</math>. The area of <math>ABCDEF</math> is therefore
 
If we extend <math>BC</math>, <math>DE</math> and <math>FA</math> so that <math>FA</math> and <math>BC</math> meet at <math>X</math>, <math>BC</math> and <math>DE</math> meet at <math>Y</math>, and <math>DE</math> and <math>FA</math> meet at <math>Z</math>, we find that hexagon <math>ABCDEF</math> is formed by taking equilateral triangle <math>XYZ</math> of side length <math>r+2</math> and removing three equilateral triangles, <math>ABX</math>, <math>CDY</math> and <math>EFZ</math>, of side length <math>1</math>. The area of <math>ABCDEF</math> is therefore

Revision as of 02:36, 27 January 2019

Problem

Equiangular hexagon $ABCDEF$ has side lengths $AB=CD=EF=1$ and $BC=DE=FA=r$. The area of $\triangle ACE$ is $70\%$ of the area of the hexagon. What is the sum of all possible values of $r$?

$\textbf{(A)}\ \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{3} \qquad \textbf{(B)} \frac{10}{3} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 4 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \frac{17}{4} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 6$

Solution 1

It is clear that $\triangle ACE$ is an equilateral triangle. From the Law of Cosines on $\triangle ABC$, we get that $AC^2 = r^2+1^2-2r\cos{\frac{2\pi}{3}} = r^2+r+1$. Therefore, the area of $\triangle ACE$ is $\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r^2+r+1)$.

If we extend $BC$, $DE$ and $FA$ so that $FA$ and $BC$ meet at $X$, $BC$ and $DE$ meet at $Y$, and $DE$ and $FA$ meet at $Z$, we find that hexagon $ABCDEF$ is formed by taking equilateral triangle $XYZ$ of side length $r+2$ and removing three equilateral triangles, $ABX$, $CDY$ and $EFZ$, of side length $1$. The area of $ABCDEF$ is therefore

$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r+2)^2-\frac{3\sqrt{3}}{4} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r^2+4r+1)$.


Based on the initial conditions,

\[\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}(r^2+r+1) = \frac{7}{10}\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}\right)(r^2+4r+1)\]

Simplifying this gives us $r^2-6r+1 = 0$. By Vieta's Formulas we know that the sum of the possible value of $r$ is $\boxed{\textbf{(E)}\ 6}$.

Solution 2

Step 1: Use Law of Cosines in the same manner as the previous solution to get $AC=\sqrt{r^2+r+1}$.

Step 2: $\triangle{ABC}$~$\triangle{CDE}$~$\triangle{EFA}$ via SAS congruency. Using the formula $[ABC]=\frac{ab \sin C}{2}= \frac{r \sqrt{3}}{4}$ and because of the congruency, the area condition, and the fact $\triangle{ACE}$ is equilateral, $AC=\sqrt{7r}$.

Step 3: $\sqrt{7r}=\sqrt{r^2+r+1} \implies r^2-6r+1=0$ and by Vieta's Formulas , we get $\boxed{\textbf{E}}$.

Note: Since $r$ has to be positive we must first check that the discriminant is positive before applying Vieta's. And it indeed is.

See also

2010 AMC 12A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 16 		Followed by
Problem 18
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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