2018 AIME I Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 2018 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 2018 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

7.

A right hexagonal prism has height 2.2. The bases are regular hexagons with side length 1.1. Any 33 of the 1212 vertices determine a triangle. Find the number of these triangles that are isosceles (including equilateral triangles).
Answer: 52
Concepts:counting shapes in figures3D geometrycasework
Small hint:
Count triangles with all vertices on one hexagon separately from those using both; each hexagon alone contributes 88 isosceles triangles
Big hint:
For two vertices on one base, the apex on the other base must lie above the perpendicular bisector of the pair, or a lateral side d2+4\sqrt{d^2 + 4} must equal the base chord 22
Solution:
The chords of a unit regular hexagon have lengths 1,1, 3,\sqrt{3}, and 2.2. Among the (63)=20\binom{6}{3} = 20 triangles in one hexagon, 66 have sides 1,1,31, 1, \sqrt{3} and 22 are equilateral with side 3;\sqrt{3}; the other 12,12, with sides 1,3,2,1, \sqrt{3}, 2, are scalene. So each base contributes 88 isosceles triangles, for 1616 in all.
Otherwise two vertices lie on one base (22 choices of that base) and one on the other. A vertex of the top base at horizontal distance dd from a bottom vertex is at distance d2+4≥2\sqrt{d^2 + 4} \ge 2 from it. If the bottom pair is adjacent (chord 11): the perpendicular bisector of a hexagon edge passes through no vertices, and no slant side can equal 1,1, so there are no isosceles triangles. If the pair has one vertex between them (chord 3,\sqrt{3}, 66 pairs): the top vertices above that middle vertex and above the opposite vertex are equidistant from the pair, giving 6⋅2=12.6 \cdot 2 = 12. If the pair is diametrically opposite (chord 2,2, 33 pairs): no vertex lies above the perpendicular bisector, but the top vertex directly above either endpoint gives a slant side 0+4=2\sqrt{0 + 4} = 2 equal to the chord, giving 3⋅2=6.3 \cdot 2 = 6.
The total is 16+2 (12+6)=52.16 + 2\,(12 + 6) = 52.
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