2005 AIME I Problem 15

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 15 of the 2005 AIME I, 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.

All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

Concepts:power of a pointincircle, incenter, and inradiusmedian (geometry)Heron’s Formula

Difficulty rating: 3270

15.

In ABC,\triangle ABC, AB=20.AB = 20. The incircle of the triangle divides the median containing CC into three segments of equal length. Given that the area of ABC\triangle ABC is mn,m\sqrt{n}, where mm and nn are integers and nn is not divisible by the square of any prime, find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Let MM be the midpoint of AB,\overline{AB}, and let the incircle cut median CM\overline{CM} at SS and N,N, with CS=SN=NM=13CM.CS = SN = NM = \frac{1}{3}CM. Let the incircle touch AB\overline{AB} at TT and AC\overline{AC} at R.R. By Power of a Point, MT2=MNMS=CM32CM3=29CM2,CR2=CSCN=29CM2,MT^2 = MN \cdot MS = \frac{CM}{3} \cdot \frac{2\,CM}{3} = \frac{2}{9}CM^2, \qquad CR^2 = CS \cdot CN = \frac{2}{9}CM^2, so MT=CR.MT = CR. Since AR=ATAR = AT (tangents from AA), we get AC=AR+RC=AT+TM=AM=10.AC = AR + RC = AT + TM = AM = 10.

Write a=BCa = BC and s=20+a+102=15+a2.s = \frac{20 + a + 10}{2} = 15 + \frac{a}{2}. The standard tangent length gives AT=sa,AT = s - a, so MT=AMAT=10(15a2)=a102,MT = AM - AT = 10 - \left(15 - \frac{a}{2}\right) = \frac{a - 10}{2}, while the median length formula gives CM2=2102+2a22024=a21002.CM^2 = \frac{2 \cdot 10^2 + 2a^2 - 20^2}{4} = \frac{a^2 - 100}{2}. Substituting into MT2=29CM2:MT^2 = \frac{2}{9}CM^2: (a10)24=a210099(a10)=4(a+10)a=26.\frac{(a - 10)^2}{4} = \frac{a^2 - 100}{9} \quad\Longrightarrow\quad 9(a - 10) = 4(a + 10) \quad\Longrightarrow\quad a = 26.

Then the sides are 20,20, 26,26, 1010 with s=28,s = 28, and Heron's formula gives [ABC]=288218=8064=2414,[ABC] = \sqrt{28 \cdot 8 \cdot 2 \cdot 18} = \sqrt{8064} = 24\sqrt{14}, so m+n=24+14=38.m + n = 24 + 14 = 38.

← Problem 14Full Exam

Problem 15 in Other Years