2022 AIME I Problem 3

Attempt Problem 3 of the 2022 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 2022 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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3.

In isosceles trapezoid ABCD,ABCD, parallel bases AB\overline{AB} and CD\overline{CD} have lengths 500500 and 650,650, respectively, and AD=BC=333.AD = BC = 333. The angle bisectors of A\angle A and D\angle D meet at P,P, and the angle bisectors of B\angle B and C\angle C meet at Q.Q. Find PQ.PQ.

Answer: 242
Concepts:angle bisectortrapezoidisosceles triangle
Difficulty rating: 2390
Solution:

Let the bisector of A\angle A meet CD\overline{CD} at A.A'. Since ABCD,\overline{AB} \parallel \overline{CD}, we have DAA=AAB=AAD,\angle DA'A = \angle A'AB = \angle A'AD, so triangle ADAADA' is isosceles with DA=DA=333.DA' = DA = 333. The bisector of D\angle D is then the median from DD in this triangle, so P,P, which lies on both bisectors, is the midpoint of AA.\overline{AA'}. Symmetrically, QQ is the midpoint of BB,\overline{BB'}, where BB' is on CD\overline{CD} with CB=333.CB' = 333.

Place D=(0,0)D = (0, 0) and C=(650,0),C = (650, 0), so A=(75,h)A = (75, h) and B=(575,h)B = (575, h) for the appropriate height h.h. Then A=(333,0)A' = (333, 0) and B=(650333,0)=(317,0),B' = (650 - 333, 0) = (317, 0), so P=(75+3332,h2)=(204,h2), \begin{aligned} P &= \left(\frac{75 + 333}{2}, \frac{h}{2}\right) \\ &= \left(204, \frac{h}{2}\right), \end{aligned} Q=(575+3172,h2)=(446,h2). \begin{aligned} Q &= \left(\frac{575 + 317}{2}, \frac{h}{2}\right) \\ &= \left(446, \frac{h}{2}\right). \end{aligned}

Therefore PQ=446204=242.PQ = 446 - 204 = 242.

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