2008 AIME II Problem 5

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 5 of the 2008 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2008 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:trapezoidright trianglemedian (geometry)homothety

Difficulty rating: 2480

5.

In trapezoid ABCDABCD with BCAD,\overline{BC} \parallel \overline{AD}, let BC=1000BC = 1000 and AD=2008.AD = 2008. Let A=37,\angle A = 37^\circ, D=53,\angle D = 53^\circ, and MM and NN be the midpoints of BC\overline{BC} and AD,\overline{AD}, respectively. Find the length MN.MN.

Solution:

Extend legs AB\overline{AB} and DC\overline{DC} until they meet at a point E.E. Since A+D=37+53=90,\angle A + \angle D = 37^\circ + 53^\circ = 90^\circ, triangle EADEAD has a right angle at E.E. Because BCAD,\overline{BC} \parallel \overline{AD}, triangle EBCEBC is the image of triangle EADEAD under a homothety centered at E,E, so the midpoint MM of BC\overline{BC} maps to the midpoint NN of AD;\overline{AD}; in particular E,E, M,M, and NN are collinear.

The median to the hypotenuse of a right triangle is half the hypotenuse, so EN=20082=1004EN = \frac{2008}{2} = 1004 and EM=10002=500.EM = \frac{1000}{2} = 500. Therefore MN=ENEM=1004500=504.MN = EN - EM = 1004 - 500 = 504.

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