2017 AIME I Problem 15

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 15 of the 2017 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2017 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:equilateral trianglecoordinate geometrytrigonometric identityoptimization

Difficulty rating: 3370

15.

The area of the smallest equilateral triangle with one vertex on each of the sides of the right triangle with side lengths 23,2\sqrt{3}, 5,5, and 37,\sqrt{37}, as shown, is mpn,\frac{m\sqrt{p}}{n}, where m,m, n,n, and pp are positive integers, mm and nn are relatively prime, and pp is not divisible by the square of any prime. Find m+n+p.m + n + p.

Solution:

Place the right angle at the origin with vertices (0,0),(0, 0), (5,0),(5, 0), and (0,23),(0, 2\sqrt{3}), so the hypotenuse lies on the line 23x+5y=103.2\sqrt{3}\,x + 5y = 10\sqrt{3}. Let the equilateral triangle's side between the two legs have endpoints (scosθ,0)(s\cos\theta, 0) and (0,ssinθ),(0, s\sin\theta), where ss is the side length. Its midpoint is s2(cosθ,sinθ),\frac{s}{2}(\cos\theta, \sin\theta), and moving a distance 32s\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}s perpendicular to the side places the third vertex at s2(cosθ+3sinθ, sinθ+3cosθ).\frac{s}{2}\left(\cos\theta + \sqrt{3}\sin\theta,\ \sin\theta + \sqrt{3}\cos\theta\right).

Substituting this vertex into the hypotenuse equation and simplifying gives s=20373cosθ+11sinθ.s = \frac{20\sqrt{3}}{7\sqrt{3}\cos\theta + 11\sin\theta}. The denominator is at most (73)2+112=268=267,\sqrt{(7\sqrt{3})^2 + 11^2} = \sqrt{268} = 2\sqrt{67}, attained for an admissible θ,\theta, so the minimum side length satisfies s2=(103)267=30067.s^2 = \frac{(10\sqrt{3})^2}{67} = \frac{300}{67}.

The minimum area is 3430067=75367,\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} \cdot \frac{300}{67} = \frac{75\sqrt{3}}{67}, so m+n+p=75+67+3=145.m + n + p = 75 + 67 + 3 = 145.

← Problem 14Full Exam

Problem 15 in Other Years