2012 AIME II Problem 15

Attempt Problem 15 of the 2012 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 2012 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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15.

Triangle ABCABC is inscribed in circle ω\omega with AB=5,AB = 5, BC=7,BC = 7, and AC=3.AC = 3. The bisector of angle AA meets side BC‾\overline{BC} at DD and circle ω\omega at a second point E.E. Let γ\gamma be the circle with diameter DE‾.\overline{DE}. Circles ω\omega and γ\gamma meet at EE and a second point F.F. Then AF2=mn,AF^2 = \frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 919
Concepts:circleinscribed angleangle bisectorcoordinate geometry
Difficulty rating: 3500
Small Hint:

Let E′E' be diametrically opposite EE on ω;\omega; angles in semicircles give ∠DFE=∠E′FE=90∘,\angle DFE = \angle E'FE = 90^\circ, so FF lies on line E′DE'D

Big Hint:

Place B=(0,0)B = (0, 0) and C=(7,0);C = (7, 0); then D,D, E,E, E′E' have clean coordinates, and FF comes from intersecting line E′DE'D with ω\omega

Solution:

Let E′E' be the point of ω\omega diametrically opposite E.E. Since DE‾\overline{DE} is a diameter of γ,\gamma, the angle ∠DFE=90∘,\angle DFE = 90^\circ, and since EE′‾\overline{EE'} is a diameter of ω,\omega, also ∠E′FE=90∘.\angle E'FE = 90^\circ. Both FDFD and FE′FE' are perpendicular to FE,FE, so DD lies on line E′F:E'F: the point FF is the second intersection of line E′DE'D with ω.\omega.

Set B=(0,0)B = (0, 0) and C=(7,0);C = (7, 0); then A=(6514,15314).A = \left(\frac{65}{14}, \frac{15\sqrt{3}}{14}\right). The bisector gives BDDC=ABAC=53,\frac{BD}{DC} = \frac{AB}{AC} = \frac{5}{3}, so D=(358,0).D = \left(\frac{35}{8}, 0\right). Since EE is the midpoint of arc BCBC not containing A,A, both EE and E′E' lie on the vertical line x=72x = \frac{7}{2} through the center O=(72,−736),O = \left(\frac{7}{2}, -\frac{7\sqrt{3}}{6}\right), which satisfies ∣OB∣=∣OA∣|OB| = |OA| with R2=493.R^2 = \frac{49}{3}. Thus E=(72,−732)E = \left(\frac{7}{2}, -\frac{7\sqrt{3}}{2}\right) and E′=(72,736).E' = \left(\frac{7}{2}, \frac{7\sqrt{3}}{6}\right).

The direction from E′E' to DD is proportional to (3,−43),(3, -4\sqrt{3}), and the point E′+t (3,−43)E' + t\,(3, -4\sqrt{3}) lies on ω\omega when 57t2−56t=0,57t^2 - 56t = 0, so t=5657t = \frac{56}{57} gives F=(24538,−105338).F = \left(\frac{245}{38}, -\frac{105\sqrt{3}}{38}\right). Then AF2=(240133)2+3(510133)2=83790017689=90019, \begin{aligned} AF^2 &= \left(\frac{240}{133}\right)^2 + 3\left(\frac{510}{133}\right)^2 \\ &= \frac{837900}{17689} = \frac{900}{19}, \end{aligned} so m+n=900+19=919.m + n = 900 + 19 = 919.

Problem 14#14
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