# Difference between revisions of "2013 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 24"

## Problem

Squares $ABCD$, $EFGH$, and $GHIJ$ are equal in area. Points $C$ and $D$ are the midpoints of sides $IH$ and $HE$, respectively. What is the ratio of the area of the shaded pentagon $AJICB$ to the sum of the areas of the three squares?

$\textbf{(A)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{1}{4}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{7}{24}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{1}{3}\qquad\textbf{(D)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{3}{8}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{5}{12}$

$[asy] pair A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J; A = (0.5,2); B = (1.5,2); C = (1.5,1); D = (0.5,1); E = (0,1); F = (0,0); G = (1,0); H = (1,1); I = (2,1); J = (2,0); draw(A--B); draw(C--B); draw(D--A); draw(F--E); draw(I--J); draw(J--F); draw(G--H); draw(A--J); filldraw(A--B--C--I--J--cycle,grey); draw(E--I); label("A", A, NW); label("B", B, NE); label("C", C, NE); label("D", D, NW); label("E", E, NW); label("F", F, SW); label("G", G, S); label("H", H, N); label("I", I, NE); label("J", J, SE); [/asy]$

## Solution 1

$[asy] pair A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,X; A = (0.5,2); B = (1.5,2); C = (1.5,1); D = (0.5,1); E = (0,1); F = (0,0); G = (1,0); H = (1,1); I = (2,1); J = (2,0); X= extension(I,J,A,B); dot(X,red); draw(I--X--B,red); draw(A--B); draw(C--B); draw(D--A); draw(F--E); draw(I--J); draw(J--F); draw(G--H); draw(A--J); filldraw(A--B--C--I--J--cycle,grey); draw(E--I); label("A", A, NW); label("B", B, NE); label("C", C, NE); label("D", D, NW); label("E", E, NW); label("F", F, SW); label("G", G, S); label("H", H, N); label("I", I, NE); label("X", X,SE); label("J", J, SE);[/asy]$

First let $s=2$ (where $s$ is the side length of the squares) for simplicity. We can extend $\overline{IJ}$ until it hits the extension of $\overline{AB}$. Call this point $X$. The area of triangle $AXJ$ then is $\dfrac{3 \cdot 4}{2}$ The area of rectangle $BXIC$ is $2 \cdot 1 = 2$. Thus, our desired area is $6-2 = 4$. Now, the ratio of the shaded area to the combined area of the three squares is $\frac{4}{3\cdot 2^2} = \boxed{\textbf{(C)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{1}{3}}$.

## Solution 2

$[asy] pair A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,X; A = (0.5,2); B = (1.5,2); C = (1.5,1); D = (0.5,1); E = (0,1); F = (0,0); G = (1,0); H = (1,1); I = (2,1); J = (2,0); X= (1.25,1); draw(A--B); draw(C--B); draw(D--A); draw(F--E); draw(I--J); draw(J--F); draw(G--H); draw(A--J); filldraw(A--B--C--I--J--cycle,grey); draw(E--I); dot(X,red); label("A", A, NW); label("B", B, NE); label("C", C, NE); label("D", D, NW); label("E", E, NW); label("F", F, SW); label("G", G, S); label("H", H, N); label("I", I, NE); label("X", X,SW,red); label("J", J, SE);[/asy]$

Let the side length of each square be $1$.

Let the intersection of $AJ$ and $EI$ be $X$.

Since $[ABCD]=[GHIJ]$, $AD=IJ$. Since $\angle IXJ$ and $\angle AXD$ are vertical angles, they are congruent. We also have $\angle JIH\cong\angle ADC$ by definition.

So we have $\triangle ADX\cong\triangle JIX$ by $\textit{AAS}$ congruence. Therefore, $DX=JX$.

Since $C$ and $D$ are midpoints of sides, $DH=CJ=\dfrac{1}{2}$. This combined with $DX=JX$ yields $HX=CX=\dfrac{1}{2}\times \dfrac{1}{2}=\dfrac{1}{4}$.

The area of trapezoid $ABCX$ is $\dfrac{1}{2}(AB+CX)(BC)=\dfrac{1}{2}\times \dfrac{5}{4}\times 1=\dfrac{5}{8}$.

The area of triangle $JIX$ is $\dfrac{1}{2}\times XJ\times IJ=\dfrac{1}{2}\times \dfrac{3}{4}\times 1=\dfrac{3}{8}$.

So the area of the pentagon $AJICB$ is $\dfrac{3}{8}+\dfrac{5}{8}=1$.

The area of the $3$ squares is $1\times 3=3$.

Therefore, $\dfrac{[AJICB]}{[ABCIJFED]}= \boxed{\textbf{(C)}\hspace{.05in}\frac{1}{3}}$.