2009 AIME I Problem 4

Attempt Problem 4 of the 2009 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 2009 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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4.

In parallelogram ABCD,ABCD, point MM is on AB\overline{AB} so that AMAB=171000,\frac{AM}{AB} = \frac{17}{1000}, and point NN is on AD\overline{AD} so that ANAD=172009.\frac{AN}{AD} = \frac{17}{2009}. Let PP be the point of intersection of AC\overline{AC} and MN.\overline{MN}. Find ACAP.\frac{AC}{AP}.

Answer: 177
Concepts:vectorparallelogram
Difficulty rating: 2400
Solution:

Place AA at the origin and let b=AB\mathbf{b} = \overrightarrow{AB} and d=AD,\mathbf{d} = \overrightarrow{AD}, so that C=b+d,C = \mathbf{b} + \mathbf{d}, M=171000b,M = \frac{17}{1000}\mathbf{b}, and N=172009d.N = \frac{17}{2009}\mathbf{d}. Since PP lies on AC,\overline{AC}, write P=s(b+d)P = s\,(\mathbf{b} + \mathbf{d}) where s=APAC;s = \frac{AP}{AC}; since PP also lies on line MN,MN, write P=tM+(1t)NP = tM + (1 - t)N for some t.t.

Because b\mathbf{b} and d\mathbf{d} are independent, the coefficients must agree: s=17t1000s = \frac{17t}{1000} and s=17(1t)2009.s = \frac{17(1-t)}{2009}. Thus t=1000s17t = \frac{1000s}{17} and 1t=2009s17;1 - t = \frac{2009s}{17}; adding gives 1=3009s17.1 = \frac{3009s}{17}.

Therefore ACAP=1s=300917=177.\frac{AC}{AP} = \frac{1}{s} = \frac{3009}{17} = 177.

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