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Difference between revisions of "2005 AMC 12B Problems/Problem 24"
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{{empty}}
 
 
== Problem ==
 
== Problem ==
  
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All three vertices of an equilateral triangle are on the parabola y = x^2, and one of its sides has a slope of 2. The x-coordinates of the three vertices have a sum of m/n, where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. What is the value of m + n?  
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All three vertices of an equilateral triangle are on the parabola <math>y = x^2</math>, and one of its sides has a slope of <math>2</math>. The <math>x</math>-coordinates of the three vertices have a sum of <math>m/n</math>, where <math>m</math> and <math>n</math> are relatively prime positive integers. What is the value of <math>m + n</math>?  
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<math> \mathrm{(A)}\ {{{14}}}\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ {{{15}}}\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ {{{16}}}\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ {{{17}}}\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ {{{18}}} </math>
 
== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
  
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Let the points be (a,a^2), (b,b^2) and (c,c^2). Using elementary calculus concepts and the fact that they lie on y = x^2,
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<center><asy>
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import graph;
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a+b = the slope of AB,
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real f(real x) {return x^2;}
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b+c = the slope of BC,
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unitsize(1 cm);
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a+c = the slope of AC.
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pair A, B, C;
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real a, b, c;
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So the value that we need to find is simply the sum of the slopes of the three sides of the triangle divided by 2. WLOG, let AB be the side that has the smallest angle with the positive x-axis. Let J be an arbitrary point with the coordinates (1, 0). Let us translate the triangle so A is at the origin. Then tan(BOJ) = 2. Using the fact that the slope of a line is equal to the tangent of the angle formed by the line and the positive x- axis, the value we now need to find is simply,
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a = (-5*sqrt(3) + 11)/11;
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b = (5*sqrt(3) + 11)/11;
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c = -19/11;
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A = (a,f(a));
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B = (b,f(b));
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C = (c,f(c));
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draw(graph(f,-2,2));
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draw((-2,0)--(2,0),Arrows);
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draw((0,-0.5)--(0,4),Arrows);
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draw(A--B--C--cycle);
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label("$x$", (2,0), NE);
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label("$y$", (0,4), NE);
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dot("$A(a,a^2)$", A, S);
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dot("$B(b,b^2)$", B, E);
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dot("$C(c,c^2)$", C, W);
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</asy></center>
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Using the slope formula and differences of squares, we find:
  
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                                        (tan(BOJ) + tan(BOJ+60) + tan(BOJ-60)) / 2.
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<math>a+b</math> = the slope of <math>AB</math>,
  
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Using tan(BOJ) = 2, and basic trigonometric identities, this simplifies to 3/11, so the answer is 3 + 11 = 14 (A).
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<math>b+c</math> = the slope of <math>BC</math>,  
  
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<math>a+c</math> = the slope of <math>AC</math>.
  
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So the value that we need to find is the sum of the slopes of the three sides of the triangle divided by <math>2</math>. Without loss of generality, let <math>AB</math> be the side that has the smallest angle with the positive <math>x</math>-axis. Let <math>J</math> be an arbitrary point with the coordinates <math>(1, 0)</math>. Translate the triangle so <math>A</math> is at the origin. Then <math>\tan(BOJ) = 2</math>. Since the slope of a line is equal to the tangent of the angle formed by the line and the positive x- axis, the answer is <math>\dfrac{\tan(BOJ) + \tan(BOJ+60) + \tan(BOJ-60)}{2}</math>.
  
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Using <math>\tan(BOJ) = 2</math>, and the tangent addition formula, this simplifies to <math>\dfrac{3}{11}</math>, so the answer is <math>3 + 11 = \boxed{\mathrm{(A)}\ 14}</math>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* [[2005 AMC 12B Problems]]
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{{AMC12 box|year=2005|ab=B|num-b=23|num-a=25}}
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{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 15:12, 15 July 2018

Problem

All three vertices of an equilateral triangle are on the parabola $y = x^2$, and one of its sides has a slope of $2$. The $x$-coordinates of the three vertices have a sum of $m/n$, where $m$ and $n$ are relatively prime positive integers. What is the value of $m + n$?

$\mathrm{(A)}\ {{{14}}}\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ {{{15}}}\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ {{{16}}}\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ {{{17}}}\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ {{{18}}}$

Solution

[asy] import graph; real f(real x) {return x^2;} unitsize(1 cm); pair A, B, C; real a, b, c; a = (-5*sqrt(3) + 11)/11; b = (5*sqrt(3) + 11)/11; c = -19/11; A = (a,f(a)); B = (b,f(b)); C = (c,f(c)); draw(graph(f,-2,2)); draw((-2,0)--(2,0),Arrows); draw((0,-0.5)--(0,4),Arrows); draw(A--B--C--cycle); label("$x$", (2,0), NE); label("$y$", (0,4), NE); dot("$A(a,a^2)$", A, S); dot("$B(b,b^2)$", B, E); dot("$C(c,c^2)$", C, W); [/asy]

Using the slope formula and differences of squares, we find:

$a+b$ = the slope of $AB$,

$b+c$ = the slope of $BC$,

$a+c$ = the slope of $AC$.

So the value that we need to find is the sum of the slopes of the three sides of the triangle divided by $2$. Without loss of generality, let $AB$ be the side that has the smallest angle with the positive $x$-axis. Let $J$ be an arbitrary point with the coordinates $(1, 0)$. Translate the triangle so $A$ is at the origin. Then $\tan(BOJ) = 2$. Since the slope of a line is equal to the tangent of the angle formed by the line and the positive x- axis, the answer is $\dfrac{\tan(BOJ) + \tan(BOJ+60) + \tan(BOJ-60)}{2}$.

Using $\tan(BOJ) = 2$, and the tangent addition formula, this simplifies to $\dfrac{3}{11}$, so the answer is $3 + 11 = \boxed{\mathrm{(A)}\ 14}$

See also

2005 AMC 12B (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
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions

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