1990 AIME Problem 12

Attempt Problem 12 of the 1990 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 1990 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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12.

A regular 1212-gon is inscribed in a circle of radius 12.12. The sum of the lengths of all sides and diagonals of the 1212-gon can be written in the form a+b2+c3+d6,a+b\sqrt2+c\sqrt3+d\sqrt6, where a,a, b,b, c,c, and dd are positive integers. Find a+b+c+d.a+b+c+d.

Answer: 720
Concepts:chordspecial right trianglesummation
Difficulty rating: 2380
Small Hint:

Group the chords by the number of vertex steps k,k, where kk is 1,1, 2,2, ,\ldots, or 66

Big Hint:

For k<6k\lt6 there are 1212 chords of length 24sin(kπ12),24\sin(\frac{k\pi}{12}), while there are 66 diameters

Solution:

For kk equal to 1,1, 2,2, ,\ldots, and 5,5, there are 1212 chords of length 24sin(kπ12),24\sin(\frac{k\pi}{12}), and there are 66 diameters of length 24.24. The five chord lengths are 6(62),12,122,123,6(6+2).\begin{gathered}6(\sqrt6-\sqrt2),\quad12,\quad12\sqrt2,\\12\sqrt3,\quad6(\sqrt6+\sqrt2).\end{gathered} Their sum UU is U=12+122+123+126.\begin{aligned}U&=12+12\sqrt2\\&\quad+12\sqrt3+12\sqrt6.\end{aligned} Therefore the total is 12U+6(24)=288+1442+1443+1446.\begin{aligned}12U+6(24)&=288+144\sqrt2\\&\quad+144\sqrt3\\&\quad+144\sqrt6.\end{aligned} Hence a=288a=288 and b=c=d=144,b=c=d=144, so a+b+c+d=720.a+b+c+d=720.

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