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2012 AIME I Problems/Problem 8

Revision as of 15:28, 23 March 2012 by Jhggins (talk | contribs) (→‎Solution)

Problem 8

Cube $ABCDEFGH,$ labeled as shown below, has edge length $1$ and is cut by a plane passing through vertex $D$ and the midpoints $M$ and $N$ of $\overline{AB}$ and $\overline{CG}$ respectively. The plane divides the cube into two solids. The volume of the larger of the two solids can be written in the form $\tfrac{p}{q},$ where $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $p+q.$

[asy]import cse5; unitsize(10mm); pathpen=black; dotfactor=3; pair A = (0,0), B = (3.8,0), C = (5.876,1.564), D = (2.076,1.564), E = (0,3.8), F = (3.8,3.8), G = (5.876,5.364), H = (2.076,5.364), M = (1.9,0), N = (5.876,3.465); pair[] dotted = {A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,M,N}; D(A--B--C--G--H--E--A); D(E--F--B); D(F--G); pathpen=dashed; D(A--D--H); D(D--C); dot(dotted); label("$A$",A,SW); label("$B$",B,S); label("$C$",C,SE); label("$D$",D,NW); label("$E$",E,W); label("$F$",F,SE); label("$G$",G,NE); label("$H$",H,NW); label("$M$",M,S); label("$N$",N,NE); [/asy]

Solution: think outside the box

Define a coordinate system with $D$ at the origin and $C,$ $A,$ and $H$ on the $x$, $y$, and $z$ axes respectively. The $D=(0,0,0),$ $M=(.5,1,0),$ and $N=(1,0,.5).$ It follows that the plane going through $D,$ $M,$ and $N$ has equation $2x-y-4z=0.$ Let $Q = (1,1,.25)$ be the intersection of this plane and edge $BF$ and let $P = (1,2,0).$ Now since $2(1) - 1(2) - 4(0) = 0,$ $P$ is on the plane. Also, $P$ lies on the extensions of segments $DM,$ $NQ,$ and $CB$ so the solid $DPCN = DMBCQN + MPBQ$ is a right triangular pyramid. Note also that pyramid $MPBQ$ is similar to $DPCN$ with scale factor $.5$ and thus the volume of solid $DMBCQN,$ which is one of the solids bounded by the cube and the plane, is $[DPCN] - [MPBQ] = [DPCN] - \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^3[DPCN] = \frac{7}{8}[DPCN].$ But the volume of $DPCN$ is simply the volume of a pyramid with base $1$ and height $.5$ which is $\frac{1}{3} \cdot 1 \cdot .5 = \frac{1}{6}.$ So $[DMBCQN] = \frac{7}{8} \cdot \frac{1}{6} = \frac{7}{48}.$ Note, however, that this volume is less than $.5$ and thus this solid is the smaller of the two solids. The desired volume is then $[ABCDEFGH] - [DMBCQN] = 1 - \frac{7}{48} = \frac{41}{48} \rightarrow p+q = \boxed{089.}$

Alternative Solution (using calculus)

Let $Q$ be the intersection of the plane with edge $FB,$ then triangle $MQB$ is similar to triangle $DNC$ and the volume $[DNCMQB]$ is a sum of areas of cross sections of similar triangles running parallel to face $ABFE.$ Let $x$ be the distance from face $ABFE,$ let $h$ be the height parallel to $AB$ of the cross-sectional triangle at that distance, and $a$ be the area of the cross-sectional triangle at that distance. $a=\frac{h^2}{4},$ and $h=\frac{x+1}{2},$ then $a=\frac{(x+1)^2}{16}$, and the volume $[DNCMQB]$ is $\int^1_0{a}{dx}=\int^1_0{\frac{(x+1)^2}{16}}{dx}=\frac{7}{48}.$ Thus the area of the larger solid is $1-\frac{7}{48}=\frac{41}{48} \rightarrow p+q = \boxed{089}$

See also

2012 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 7 		Followed by
Problem 9
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions
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