1986 AIME Problem 15

Attempt Problem 15 of the 1986 AIME below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1986 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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15.

Let triangle ABCABC be a right triangle in the xyxy-plane with a right angle at C.C. Given that the hypotenuse ABAB has length 60,60, and that the medians through AA and BB lie along the lines y=x+3y=x+3 and y=2x+4,y=2x+4, respectively, find the area of ABC.\triangle ABC.

Answer: 400
Concepts:centroidcoordinate geometrymedian (geometry)triangle area
Difficulty rating: 2820
Small Hint:

The intersection of the two median lines is the centroid

Big Hint:

Parametrize AA and BB from the centroid along direction vectors (1,1)(1,1) and (1,2)(1,2)

Solution:

The median lines meet at the centroid G=(1,2).G=(-1,2). For real uu and v,v, write A=G+(u,u),B=G+(v,2v). \begin{aligned} A&=G+(u,u),\\ B&=G+(v,2v). \end{aligned} Since A+B+C=3G,A+B+C=3G, C=G(u,u)(v,2v). C=G-(u,u)-(v,2v). The condition ACBCAC\perp BC gives (2u+v,2u+2v)(u+2v,u+4v)=0, \begin{aligned} &(2u+v,2u+2v)\\ &\qquad\mathbin{\cdot}(u+2v,u+4v)=0, \end{aligned} or 4u2+15uv+10v2=0. 4u^2+15uv+10v^2=0. Meanwhile AB=60AB=60 gives (uv)2+(u2v)2=2u26uv+5v2=3600. \begin{aligned} &(u-v)^2+(u-2v)^2\\ &\qquad=2u^2-6uv+5v^2\\ &\qquad=3600. \end{aligned} Subtracting half of the first equation from the second yields 272uv=3600,-\frac{27}{2}uv=3600, so uv=8003.uv=-\frac{800}{3}.

Using the two perpendicular legs from C,C, the area is half the absolute determinant: [ABC]=12det(2u+v2u+2vu+2vu+4v)=123uv=400. \begin{aligned} [ABC] &=\frac12\left| \det\begin{pmatrix}2u+v&2u+2v\\u+2v&u+4v\end{pmatrix} \right|\\ &=\frac12|3uv| =400. \end{aligned}

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