2020 AIME I Problem 1

Attempt Problem 1 of the 2020 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 2020 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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1.

In △ABC\triangle ABC with AB=AC,AB = AC, point DD lies strictly between AA and CC on side AC‾,\overline{AC}, and point EE lies strictly between AA and BB on side AB‾\overline{AB} such that AE=ED=DB=BC.AE = ED = DB = BC. The degree measure of ∠ABC\angle ABC is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 547
Concepts:isosceles triangleangle chasingangle sum
Difficulty rating: 2150
Small Hint:

Let ∠BAC=α\angle BAC = \alpha and chase angles along the chain of isosceles triangles AED,AED, EDB,EDB, and DBC.DBC.

Big Hint:

The exterior angle gives ∠DEB=2α;\angle DEB = 2\alpha; then the three angles at DD along AC‾\overline{AC} force ∠BDC=3α=∠BCD.\angle BDC = 3\alpha = \angle BCD.

Solution:

Let ∠BAC=α.\angle BAC = \alpha. Since AE=ED,AE = ED, triangle AEDAED is isosceles with ∠ADE=∠DAE=α,\angle ADE = \angle DAE = \alpha, so the exterior angle at EE gives ∠DEB=2α.\angle DEB = 2\alpha. Since ED=DB,ED = DB, triangle EDBEDB has ∠DBE=∠DEB=2α,\angle DBE = \angle DEB = 2\alpha, hence ∠EDB=180∘−4α.\angle EDB = 180^\circ - 4\alpha.

The three angles at DD on segment AC‾\overline{AC} sum to a straight angle: α+(180∘−4α)\alpha + (180^\circ - 4\alpha) +∠BDC=180∘,+ \angle BDC = 180^\circ, so ∠BDC=3α.\angle BDC = 3\alpha. Since DB=BC,DB = BC, also ∠BCD=∠BDC=3α.\angle BCD = \angle BDC = 3\alpha. But AB=ACAB = AC makes ∠ABC=∠ACB=3α,\angle ABC = \angle ACB = 3\alpha, so the angle sum of △ABC\triangle ABC gives α+3α+3α=180∘,\alpha + 3\alpha + 3\alpha = 180^\circ, hence α=1807\alpha = \frac{180}{7} degrees.

Then ∠ABC=3α=5407\angle ABC = 3\alpha = \frac{540}{7} degrees, and m+n=540+7=547.m + n = 540 + 7 = 547.

Full Exam

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