2000 AIME II Problems/Problem 8

Problem

In trapezoid $ABCD$ , leg $\overline{BC}$ is perpendicular to bases $\overline{AB}$ and $\overline{CD}$ , and diagonals $\overline{AC}$ and $\overline{BD}$ are perpendicular. Given that $AB=\sqrt{11}$ and $AD=\sqrt{1001}$ , find $BC^2$ .

Solution

Let $x = BC$ be the height of the trapezoid, and let $y = CD$ . Since $AC \perp BD$ , it follows that $\triangle BAC \sim \triangle CBD$ , so $\frac{x}{\sqrt{11}} = \frac{y}{x} \Longrightarrow x^2 = y\sqrt{11}$ .

Let $E$ be the foot of the altitude from $A$ to $\overline{CD}$ . Then $AE = x$ , and $ADE$ is a right triangle. By the Pythagorean Theorem,

$x^2 + \left(y-\sqrt{11}\right)^2 = 1001 \Longrightarrow x^4 - 11x^2 - 11^2 \cdot 9 \cdot 10 = 0$

The positive solution to this quadratic equation is $x^2 = \boxed{110}$ .

$[asy] size(200); pathpen = linewidth(0.7); pair C=(0,0),B=(0,110^.5),A=(11^.5,B.y),D=(10*11^.5,0),E=foot(A,C,D); D(MP("A",A,(2,.5))--MP("B",B,W)--MP("C",C)--MP("D",D)--cycle); D(A--C);D(B--D);D(A--E,linetype("4 4") + linewidth(0.7)); MP("\sqrt{11}",(A+B)/2,N);MP("\sqrt{1001}",(A+D)/2,NE);MP("\sqrt{1001}",(A+D)/2,NE);MP("x",(B+C)/2,W);MP("y",(D+C)/2);D(rightanglemark(B,IP(A--C,B--D),C,20)); [/asy]$

2000 AIME II (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 7	Followed by Problem 9
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2000 AIME II Problems/Problem 8

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