2023 AIME II Problem 12

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 12 of the 2023 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2023 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:coordinate geometrypower of a pointvector

Difficulty rating: 3160

12.

In ABC\triangle ABC with side lengths AB=13,AB = 13, BC=14,BC = 14, and CA=15,CA = 15, let MM be the midpoint of BC.\overline{BC}. Let PP be the point on the circumcircle of ABC\triangle ABC such that MM is on AP.\overline{AP}. There exists a unique point QQ on segment AM\overline{AM} such that PBQ=PCQ.\angle PBQ = \angle PCQ. Then AQAQ can be written as mn,\frac{m}{\sqrt{n}}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Place B=(0,0),B = (0, 0), C=(14,0),C = (14, 0), A=(5,12),A = (5, 12), so M=(7,0)M = (7, 0) and AM=4+144=237.AM = \sqrt{4 + 144} = 2\sqrt{37}. By power of the point MM in the circumcircle, MAMP=MBMC=49,MA \cdot MP = MB \cdot MC = 49, so MP=49237MP = \frac{49}{2\sqrt{37}} and extending AMA \to M by that length gives P=(56774,14737).P = \left(\frac{567}{74}, -\frac{147}{37}\right). The direction of BP\overrightarrow{BP} is proportional to (27,14),(27, -14), and the direction of CP\overrightarrow{CP} is proportional to (67,42).-(67, 42).

Write Q=(5+2t, 1212t)Q = (5 + 2t,\ 12 - 12t) for t(0,1),t \in (0, 1), so that AQ=tAM.AQ = t \cdot AM. Using tanθ=u×vuv\tan\theta = \frac{|u \times v|}{u \cdot v} for the angle between rays, tanPBQ=394296t222t33,tanPCQ=1182888t370t+99,\tan\angle PBQ = \frac{394 - 296t}{222t - 33}, \qquad \tan\angle PCQ = \frac{1182 - 888t}{370t + 99}, and the second numerator is exactly 3(394296t).3(394 - 296t). Setting the two tangents equal cancels this common factor and leaves 370t+99=3(222t33),370t + 99 = 3(222t - 33), so 296t=198296t = 198 and t=99148.t = \frac{99}{148}.

Then AQ=99148237=99148148=99148,AQ = \frac{99}{148} \cdot 2\sqrt{37} = \frac{99}{148}\sqrt{148} = \frac{99}{\sqrt{148}}, and since gcd(99,148)=1,\gcd(99, 148) = 1, the answer is 99+148=247.99 + 148 = 247.

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