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2009 AIME I Problems/Problem 5

Revision as of 17:25, 23 January 2020 by Ragingwar (talk | contribs) (→‎Solution 2)

Problem

Triangle $ABC$ has $AC = 450$ and $BC = 300$. Points $K$ and $L$ are located on $\overline{AC}$ and $\overline{AB}$ respectively so that $AK = CK$, and $\overline{CL}$ is the angle bisector of angle $C$. Let $P$ be the point of intersection of $\overline{BK}$ and $\overline{CL}$, and let $M$ be the point on line $BK$ for which $K$ is the midpoint of $\overline{PM}$. If $AM = 180$, find $LP$.

Solution 1

[asy] import markers; defaultpen(fontsize(8)); size(300); pair A=(0,0), B=(30*sqrt(331),0), C, K, L, M, P; C = intersectionpoints(Circle(A,450), Circle(B,300))[0]; K = midpoint(A--C); L = (3*B+2*A)/5; P = extension(B,K,C,L); M = 2*K-P; draw(A--B--C--cycle); draw(C--L);draw(B--M--A); markangle(n=1,radius=15,A,C,L,marker(markinterval(stickframe(n=1),true))); markangle(n=1,radius=15,L,C,B,marker(markinterval(stickframe(n=1),true))); dot(A^^B^^C^^K^^L^^M^^P); label("$A$",A,(-1,-1));label("$B$",B,(1,-1));label("$C$",C,(1,1)); label("$K$",K,(0,2));label("$L$",L,(0,-2));label("$M$",M,(-1,1)); label("$P$",P,(1,1)); label("$180$",(A+M)/2,(-1,0));label("$180$",(P+C)/2,(-1,0));label("$225$",(A+K)/2,(0,2));label("$225$",(K+C)/2,(0,2)); label("$300$",(B+C)/2,(1,1)); [/asy]

Since $K$ is the midpoint of $\overline{PM}$ and $\overline{AC}$, quadrilateral $AMCP$ is a parallelogram, which implies $AM||LP$ and $\bigtriangleup{AMB}$ is similar to $\bigtriangleup{LPB}$

Thus,

\[\frac {AM}{LP}=\frac {AB}{LB}=\frac {AL+LB}{LB}=\frac {AL}{LB}+1\]

Now let's apply the angle bisector theorem.

\[\frac {AL}{LB}=\frac {AC}{BC}=\frac {450}{300}=\frac {3}{2}\]

\[\frac {AM}{LP}=\frac {AL}{LB}+1=\frac {5}{2}\]

\[\frac {180}{LP}=\frac {5}{2}\]

\[LP=\boxed {072}\]

Solution 2

Using the diagram above, we can solve this problem by using mass points. By angle bisector theorem: \[\frac{BL}{CB}=\frac{AL}{CA}\implies\frac{BL}{300}=\frac{AL}{450}\implies 3BL=2AL\] So, we can weight $A$ as $2$ and $B$ as $3$ and $L$ as $5$. Since $K$ is the midpoint of $A$ and $C$, the weight of $A$ is equal to the weight of $C$, which equals $2$. Also, since the weight of $L$ is $5$ and $C$ is $2$, we can weight $P$ as $7$.

By the definition of mass points, \[\frac{LP}{CP}=\frac{2}{5}\implies LP=\frac{2}{5}CP\] By vertical angles, angle $MKA =$ angle $PKC$. Also, it is given that $AK=CK$ and $PK=MK$.

By the SAS congruence, $\triangle MKA$ = $\triangle PKC$. So, $MA$ = $CP$ = $180$. Since $LP=\frac{2}{5}CP$, $LP = \frac{2}{5}(180) = \boxed{072}$

See also

2009 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 4 		Followed by
Problem 6
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions

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