2005 AIME I Problem 11

Attempt Problem 11 of the 2005 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 2005 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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11.

A semicircle with diameter dd is contained in a square whose sides have length 8.8. Given that the maximum value of dd is mn,m - \sqrt{n}, where mm and nn are integers, find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 544
Concepts:optimizationtrigonometrytangent line
Difficulty rating: 2990
Solution:

Scale to a semicircle of radius 11 and ask for the smallest square containing it when its diameter makes angle θ\theta with one pair of sides, where 0θ90.0 \le \theta \le 90^\circ. Squeeze the semicircle between two pairs of parallel lines in the square's two side directions: in each direction one line of the pair is tangent to the arc and the other passes through an endpoint of the diameter, and the distances between the pairs are 1+cosθ1 + \cos\theta and 1+sinθ.1 + \sin\theta. So the smallest enclosing square in that orientation has side max{1+cosθ, 1+sinθ},\max\{1 + \cos\theta,\ 1 + \sin\theta\}, which is minimized when θ=45,\theta = 45^\circ, giving side 1+22=2+22.1 + \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} = \frac{2 + \sqrt{2}}{2}.

Scaling this optimal configuration so the square has side 8,8, the radius becomes r=8(2+2)/2r = \frac{8}{(2 + \sqrt{2})/2} =162+2= \frac{16}{2 + \sqrt{2}} =8(22),= 8\left(2 - \sqrt{2}\right), so d=2r=16(22)=32162=32512. \begin{aligned} d &= 2r = 16\left(2 - \sqrt{2}\right) \\ &= 32 - 16\sqrt{2} = 32 - \sqrt{512}. \end{aligned}

Thus m+n=32+512=544.m + n = 32 + 512 = 544.

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