1997 AIME Problem 4

Attempt Problem 4 of the 1997 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 1997 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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4.

Circles of radii 5,5, 5,5, 8,8, and mn\frac{m}{n} are mutually externally tangent, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 17
Concepts:tangent circlesPythagorean Theoremperpendicular bisector
Difficulty rating: 2390
Small Hint:

The two radius-55 centers are 1010 apart, and the other two centers both lie on the perpendicular bisector of that segment

Big Hint:

Right triangles give midpoint distances 1212 and r2+10r;\sqrt{r^2 + 10r}; rule out opposite sides before subtracting them

Solution:

Let the radius-55 circles have centers P1P_1 and P2,P_2, so P1P2=5+5=10,P_1P_2 = 5 + 5 = 10, and let MM be the midpoint. The radius-88 circle’s center QQ satisfies QP1=QP2=13,QP_1 = QP_2 = 13, so QQ lies on the perpendicular bisector of P1P2\overline{P_1P_2} at distance 13252=12\sqrt{13^2 - 5^2} = 12 from M.M. Likewise the fourth circle, of radius r,r, has its center RR on the same perpendicular bisector with RP1=5+r,RP_1 = 5 + r, so RM=(5+r)225RM = \sqrt{(5+r)^2 - 25} =r2+10r.= \sqrt{r^2 + 10r}.

The centers QQ and RR cannot lie on opposite sides of M:M: that would give 12+RM=8+r,12 + RM = 8 + r, hence RM=r4,RM = r - 4, but squaring would yield 18r=16,18r = 16, contrary to r4.r \ge 4. Nor can RR lie beyond Q,Q, since then RM12=8+rRM - 12 = 8 + r would force RM=r+20,RM = r + 20, which is incompatible with RM2=r2+10r.RM^2 = r^2 + 10r. Thus RR lies between MM and Q,Q, and external tangency to the radius-88 circle gives 12r2+10r=8+r.12 - \sqrt{r^2 + 10r} = 8 + r. Then r2+10r=4r,\sqrt{r^2 + 10r} = 4 - r, and squaring yields r2+10r=168r+r2,r^2 + 10r = 16 - 8r + r^2, so 18r=1618r = 16 and r=89.r = \frac{8}{9}.

Thus m+n=8+9=17.m + n = 8 + 9 = 17.

Problem 3#3
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