2009 AIME II Problem 15

Attempt Problem 15 of the 2009 AIME II 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 II solutions, or check the answer key.

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15.

Let MN\overline{MN} be a diameter of a circle with diameter 1.1. Let AA and BB be points on one of the semicircular arcs determined by MN\overline{MN} such that AA is the midpoint of the semicircle and MB=35.MB = \frac{3}{5}. Point CC lies on the other semicircular arc. Let dd be the length of the line segment whose endpoints are the intersections of diameter MN\overline{MN} with the chords AC\overline{AC} and BC.\overline{BC}. The largest possible value of dd can be written in the form rst,r - s\sqrt{t}, where r,r, s,s, and tt are positive integers and tt is not divisible by the square of any prime. Find r+s+t.r + s + t.

Answer: 14
Concepts:cyclic quadrilateralarea ratioAM-GM Inequalityoptimization
Difficulty rating: 3370
Solution:

Let chords BCBC and ACAC meet MN\overline{MN} at PP and Q,Q, and set x=CMCN.x = \frac{CM}{CN}. Since MBN=90\angle MBN = 90^\circ (angle in a semicircle) and MB=35,MB = \frac{3}{5}, we get BN=45;BN = \frac{4}{5}; also AM=AN=22.AM = AN = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}. Because PP lies on both MNMN and BC,BC, the ratio MPPN\frac{MP}{PN} equals the ratio of the distances from MM and NN to line BC,BC, i.e. [BMC][BNC].\frac{[BMC]}{[BNC]}. In cyclic quadrilateral MBNCMBNC the angles BMCBMC and BNCBNC are supplementary, so their sines are equal and MPPN=BMMCBNNC=3x4,MQQN=AMMCANNC=x. \begin{aligned} \frac{MP}{PN} &= \frac{BM \cdot MC}{BN \cdot NC} = \frac{3x}{4}, \\ \frac{MQ}{QN} &= \frac{AM \cdot MC}{AN \cdot NC} = x. \end{aligned}

Since MN=1,MN = 1, these give MP=3x3x+4MP = \frac{3x}{3x + 4} and MQ=xx+1,MQ = \frac{x}{x + 1}, so d=MQMP=xx+13x3x+4=x3x2+7x+4=13x+4x+7. \begin{aligned} &d = MQ - MP \\ &= \frac{x}{x + 1} - \frac{3x}{3x + 4} \\ &= \frac{x}{3x^2 + 7x + 4} \\ &= \frac{1}{3x + \frac{4}{x} + 7}. \end{aligned}

As CC ranges over the far semicircle, xx takes every positive value. By AM-GM, 3x+4x212=43,3x + \frac{4}{x} \ge 2\sqrt{12} = 4\sqrt{3}, with equality at x=23.x = \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}. Hence the largest value of dd is 17+43=743,\frac{1}{7 + 4\sqrt{3}} = 7 - 4\sqrt{3}, since (7+43)(743)=1.(7 + 4\sqrt{3})(7 - 4\sqrt{3}) = 1. Then r+s+t=7+4+3=14.r + s + t = 7 + 4 + 3 = 14.

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