1998 AIME Problem 10

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 10 of the 1998 AIME, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1998 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:sphere3D geometryregular polygonPythagorean Theorem

Difficulty rating: 2510

10.

Eight spheres of radius 100100 are placed on a flat surface so that each sphere is tangent to two others and their centers are the vertices of a regular octagon. A ninth sphere is placed on the flat surface so that it is tangent to each of the other eight spheres. The radius of this last sphere is a+bc,a + b\sqrt{c}, where a,a, b,b, and cc are positive integers, and cc is not divisible by the square of any prime. Find a+b+c.a + b + c.

Solution:

The eight centers are at height 100,100, at the vertices of a regular octagon of side 200200 (adjacent spheres are tangent). If the ninth sphere has radius r,r, it rests on the surface with its center at height rr directly above the octagon's center, and tangency to each sphere gives R2+(r100)2=r+100,\sqrt{R^2 + (r - 100)^2} = r + 100, where RR is the octagon's circumradius. Hence R2=(r+100)2(r100)2=400r.R^2 = (r + 100)^2 - (r - 100)^2 = 400r.

A side of a regular octagon subtends 4545^\circ at the center, so 200=2Rsin22.5200 = 2R \sin 22.5^\circ and, using sin222.5=1cos452=224,\sin^2 22.5^\circ = \frac{1 - \cos 45^\circ}{2} = \frac{2 - \sqrt{2}}{4}, R2=10000sin222.5=4000022=20000(2+2).R^2 = \frac{10000}{\sin^2 22.5^\circ} = \frac{40000}{2 - \sqrt{2}} = 20000\,(2 + \sqrt{2}).

Then r=R2400=50(2+2)=100+502,r = \frac{R^2}{400} = 50\,(2 + \sqrt{2}) = 100 + 50\sqrt{2}, so a+b+c=100+50+2=152.a + b + c = 100 + 50 + 2 = 152.

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