2000 AMC 12 Problems/Problem 24

Problem

If circular arcs $AC$ and $BC$ have centers at $B$ and $A$ , respectively, then there exists a circle tangent to both $\stackrel{\frown}{AC}$ and $\stackrel{\frown}{BC}$ , and to $\overline{AB}$ . If the length of $\stackrel{\frown}{BC}$ is $12$ , then the circumference of the circle is

$\text {(A)}\ 24 \qquad \text {(B)}\ 25 \qquad \text {(C)}\ 26 \qquad \text {(D)}\ 27 \qquad \text {(E)}\ 28$

Solution

Since $AB,BC,AC$ are all radii, it follows that $\triangle ABC$ is an equilateral triangle.

Draw the circle with center $A$ and radius $\overline{AB}$ . Then let $D$ be the point of tangency of the two circles, and $E$ be the intersection of the smaller circle and $\overline{AD}$ . Let $F$ be the intersection of the smaller circle and $\overline{AB}$ . Also define the radii $r_1 = AB, r_2 = \frac{DE}{2}$ (note that $DE$ is a diameter of the smaller circle, as $D$ is the point of tangency of both circles, the radii of a circle is perpendicular to the tangent, hence the two centers of the circle are collinear with each other and $D$ ).

By the Power of a Point Theorem, $AF^2 = AE \cdot AD \Longrightarrow \left(\frac {r_1}2\right)^2 = (AD - 2r_2) \cdot AD.$

Since $AD = r_1$ , then $\frac{r_1^2}{4} = r_1 (r_1 - 2r_2) \Longrightarrow r_2 = \frac{3r_1}{8}$ . Since $ABC$ is equilateral, $\angle BAC = 60^{\circ}$ , and so $\stackrel{\frown}{BC} = 12 = \frac{60}{360} 2\pi r_1 \Longrightarrow r_1 = \frac{36}{\pi}$ . Thus $r_2 = \frac{27}{2}\pi$ and the circumference of the circle is $27\ \mathrm{(D)}$ .

2000 AMC 12 (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 23	Followed by Problem 25
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
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2000 AMC 12 Problems/Problem 24

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