2019 AIME II Problem 7

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7.

Triangle ABCABC has side lengths AB=120,AB = 120, BC=220,BC = 220, and AC=180.AC = 180. Lines A,\ell_A, B,\ell_B, and C\ell_C are drawn parallel to BC,\overline{BC}, AC,\overline{AC}, and AB,\overline{AB}, respectively, such that the intersections of A,\ell_A, B,\ell_B, and C\ell_C with the interior of ABC\triangle ABC are segments of lengths 55,55, 45,45, and 15,15, respectively. Find the perimeter of the triangle whose sides lie on lines A,\ell_A, B,\ell_B, and C.\ell_C.

Answer: 715
Concepts:similarityparallel lines
Difficulty rating: 2790
Solution:

For a point P,P, let α\alpha be the distance from PP to line BCBC divided by the length of the altitude from A,A, and define β\beta (to CACA) and γ\gamma (to ABAB) similarly; then α+β+γ=1\alpha + \beta + \gamma = 1 for points inside, since [PBC]+[PCA][PBC] + [PCA] +[PAB]=[ABC].+ [PAB] = [ABC]. A chord parallel to BC\overline{BC} at level α\alpha cuts off a triangle at AA similar to ABCABC with ratio 1α,1 - \alpha, so its length is 220(1α).220(1 - \alpha). The chord of length 5555 gives 1α=14,1 - \alpha = \frac{1}{4}, so A\ell_A is the line α=34;\alpha = \frac{3}{4}; similarly 45=180(1β)45 = 180(1 - \beta) puts B\ell_B at β=34,\beta = \frac{3}{4}, and 15=120(1γ)15 = 120(1 - \gamma) puts C\ell_C at γ=78.\gamma = \frac{7}{8}.

Along any line parallel to BC,\overline{BC}, the coordinate β\beta varies linearly, and on the chord at level α\alpha inside the triangle, β\beta runs over an interval of length 1α1 - \alpha while the chord has length 220(1α);220(1 - \alpha); hence a segment parallel to BC\overline{BC} with endpoints differing by Δβ\Delta\beta has length 220Δβ.220\,|\Delta\beta|. The side of the new triangle on A\ell_A runs from AB,\ell_A \cap \ell_B, where β=34,\beta = \frac{3}{4}, to AC,\ell_A \cap \ell_C, where β=13478=58.\beta = 1 - \frac{3}{4} - \frac{7}{8} = -\frac{5}{8}. Its length is 220(34+58)=220118.220\left(\frac{3}{4} + \frac{5}{8}\right) = 220 \cdot \frac{11}{8}.

Since the three lines are parallel to the sides of ABC,ABC, the triangle they bound is similar to ABC,ABC, here with ratio 118.\frac{11}{8}. Its perimeter is 118(120+220+180)\frac{11}{8}(120 + 220 + 180) =118520=715.= \frac{11}{8} \cdot 520 = 715.

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