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2014 AIME II Problems/Problem 8

Revision as of 21:53, 7 October 2017 by Blackhawk (talk | contribs) (→‎Solution 1)

Problem

Circle $C$ with radius 2 has diameter $\overline{AB}$. Circle D is internally tangent to circle $C$ at $A$. Circle $E$ is internally tangent to circle $C$, externally tangent to circle $D$, and tangent to $\overline{AB}$. The radius of circle $D$ is three times the radius of circle $E$, and can be written in the form $\sqrt{m}-n$, where $m$ and $n$ are positive integers. Find $m+n$.

Solution 1

[asy] import graph; size(7.99cm); real labelscalefactor = 0.5; pen dps = linewidth(0.7) + fontsize(10); defaultpen(dps); pen dotstyle = black; real xmin = 4.087153740193288, xmax = 11.08175859031552, ymin = -4.938019122704778, ymax = 1.194137062512079; draw(circle((7.780000000000009,-1.320000000000002), 2.000000000000000)); draw(circle((7.271934046987930,-1.319179731427737), 1.491933384829670)); draw(circle((9.198812158392690,-0.8249788848962227), 0.4973111282761416)); draw((5.780002606580324,-1.316771019595571)--(9.779997393419690,-1.323228980404432)); draw((9.198812158392690,-0.8249788848962227)--(9.198009254448635,-1.322289365031666)); draw((7.271934046987930,-1.319179731427737)--(9.198812158392690,-0.8249788848962227)); draw((9.198812158392690,-0.8249788848962227)--(7.780000000000009,-1.320000000000002)); dot((7.780000000000009,-1.320000000000002),dotstyle); label("$C$", (7.707377218471464,-1.576266740352400), NE * labelscalefactor); dot((7.271934046987930,-1.319179731427737),dotstyle); label("$D$", (7.303064016111554,-1.276266740352400), NE * labelscalefactor); dot((9.198812158392690,-0.8249788848962227),dotstyle); label("$E$", (9.225301294671791,-0.7792624249832147), NE * labelscalefactor); dot((9.198009254448635,-1.322289365031666),dotstyle); label("$F$", (9.225301294671791,-1.276266740352400), NE * labelscalefactor); dot((9.779997393419690,-1.323228980404432),dotstyle); label("$B$", (9.810012253929656,-1.276266740352400), NE * labelscalefactor); dot((5.780002606580324,-1.316771019595571),dotstyle); label("$A$", (5.812051070003994,-1.276266740352400), NE * labelscalefactor); clip((xmin,ymin)--(xmin,ymax)--(xmax,ymax)--(xmax,ymin)--cycle); [/asy]

Using the diagram above, let the radius of $D$ be $3r$, and the radius of $E$ be $r$. Then, $EF=r$, and $CE=2-r$, so the Pythagorean theorem in $\triangle CEF$ gives $CF=\sqrt{4-4r}$. Also, $CD=CA-AD=2-3r$, so \[DF=DC+CF=2-3r+\sqrt{4-4r}.\] Noting that $DE=4r$, we can now use the Pythagorean theorem in $\triangle DEF$ to get \[(2-3r+\sqrt{4-4r})^2+r^2=16r^2.\]

Solving this quadratic is somewhat tedious, but the constant terms cancel, so the computation isn't terrible. Solving gives $3r=\sqrt{240}-14$ for a final answer of $\boxed{254}$.

  • Notice that C, E and the point of tangency to circle C for triangle E will be concurrent because C and E intersect the tangent line at a right angle, implying they must be on the same line.

Solution 2

Consider a reflection of circle $E$ over diameter $\overline{AB}$. By symmetry, we now have three circles that are pairwise externally tangent and all internally tangent to a large circle. The small circles have radii $r$, $r$, and $3r$, and the big circle has radius $2$.

Descartes' Circle Theorem gives $(\frac{1}{r}+\frac{1}{r}+\frac{1}{3r}-\frac12)^2 = 2((\frac{1}{r})^2+(\frac{1}{r})^2+(\frac{1}{3r})^2+(-\frac12)^2)$

Note that the big circle has curvature $-\frac12$ because it is internally tangent. Solving gives $3r=\sqrt{240}-14$ for a final answer of $\boxed{254}$.

See also

2014 AIME II (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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