2003 AIME I Problem 12

Attempt Problem 12 of the 2003 AIME I 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 2003 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

12.

In convex quadrilateral ABCD,ABCD, ∠A≅∠C,\angle A \cong \angle C, AB=CD=180,AB = CD = 180, and AD≠BC.AD \ne BC. The perimeter of ABCDABCD is 640.640. Find ⌊1000cos⁡A⌋.\lfloor 1000 \cos A \rfloor. (The notation ⌊x⌋\lfloor x \rfloor means the greatest integer that is less than or equal to x.x.)

Answer: 777
Concepts:law of cosinesdifference of squares
Difficulty rating: 2560
Small Hint:

Compute BD2BD^2 by the Law of Cosines in triangles ABDABD and CDB,CDB, and set the results equal

Big Hint:

Because AD≠BC,AD \ne BC, dividing by AD−BCAD - BC leaves cos⁡A=AD+BC360,\cos A = \frac{AD + BC}{360}, and AD+BC=640−360AD + BC = 640 - 360

Solution:

Let ∠A=∠C=α,\angle A = \angle C = \alpha, AD=x,AD = x, and BC=y.BC = y. Applying the Law of Cosines to diagonal BDBD in triangles ABDABD and CDB,CDB, BD2=x2+1802−2⋅180xcos⁡α=y2+1802−2⋅180ycos⁡α. \begin{aligned} BD^2 &= x^2 + 180^2 \\ &\quad {}- 2 \cdot 180x\cos\alpha \\ &= y^2 + 180^2 \\ &\quad {}- 2 \cdot 180y\cos\alpha. \end{aligned}

Rearranging gives x2−y2=2⋅180(x−y)cos⁡α,x^2 - y^2 = 2 \cdot 180(x - y)\cos\alpha, and since x≠yx \ne y we may divide by x−y:x - y: cos⁡α=x+y360=640−2⋅180360=280360=79. \begin{aligned} \cos\alpha &= \frac{x + y}{360} \\ &= \frac{640 - 2 \cdot 180}{360} \\ &= \frac{280}{360} = \frac{7}{9}. \end{aligned}

Then 1000cos⁡A=70009=777.7…,1000\cos A = \frac{7000}{9} = 777.7\ldots, so ⌊1000cos⁡A⌋=777.\lfloor 1000\cos A \rfloor = 777.

Problem 11#11
Full Exam

Problem 12 in Other Years