2025 AIME I Problem 14

Attempt Problem 14 of the 2025 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 2025 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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14.

Let ABCDEABCDE be a convex pentagon with AB=14,AB = 14, BC=7,BC = 7, CD=24,CD = 24, DE=13,DE = 13, EA=26,EA = 26, and B=E=60.\angle B = \angle E = 60^\circ. For each point XX in the plane, define f(X)=AX+BX+CXf(X) = AX + BX + CX +DX+EX.+ DX + EX. The least possible value of f(X)f(X) can be expressed as m+np,m + n\sqrt{p}, where mm and nn are positive integers and pp is not divisible by the square of any prime. Find m+n+p.m + n + p.

Answer: 60
Concepts:law of cosinescyclic quadrilateraltransformationoptimization
Difficulty rating: 3500
Solution:

In triangle ABC,ABC, the law of cosines with B=60\angle B = 60^\circ gives AC2=142+72147=147,AC^2 = 14^2 + 7^2 - 14 \cdot 7 = 147, so AC=73;AC = 7\sqrt{3}; since 72+147=142,7^2 + 147 = 14^2, the angle at CC is right and BAC=30.\angle BAC = 30^\circ. Likewise AD=133,AD = 13\sqrt{3}, with a right angle at DD and DAE=30.\angle DAE = 30^\circ. In triangle ACDACD with CD=24,CD = 24, cosCAD=147+507576273133=17,sinCAD=437. \begin{aligned} \cos \angle CAD &= \frac{147 + 507 - 576}{2 \cdot 7\sqrt{3} \cdot 13\sqrt{3}} \\ &= \frac{1}{7}, \\ \sin \angle CAD &= \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{7}. \end{aligned}

Split f(X)=(BX+EX)f(X) = (BX + EX) +(AX+CX+DX)BE+T,+ (AX + CX + DX) \ge BE + T, where TT is the minimum of AX+CX+DX.AX + CX + DX. Since BAE=30+CAD+30,\angle BAE = 30^\circ + \angle CAD + 30^\circ, we get cosBAE=1217\cos \angle BAE = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{1}{7} 32437- \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \cdot \frac{4\sqrt{3}}{7} =1114,= -\frac{11}{14}, so BE2=142+262BE^2 = 14^2 + 26^2 +214261114=1444+ 2 \cdot 14 \cdot 26 \cdot \frac{11}{14} = 1444 and BE=38.BE = 38. All angles of triangle ACDACD are less than 120,120^\circ, so TT is attained at its Fermat point; erecting an equilateral triangle ACPACP on side ACAC away from D,D, the standard rotation argument gives T=PD,T = PD, and since PAD=60+CAD\angle PAD = 60^\circ + \angle CAD also has cosine 1114,-\frac{11}{14}, T2=147+507+2731331114=1083,T=193. \begin{gathered} T^2 \\ = 147 + 507 \\ {}+ 2 \cdot 7\sqrt{3} \cdot 13\sqrt{3} \cdot \frac{11}{14} \\ = 1083, \\ T = 19\sqrt{3}. \end{gathered}

Both bounds are tight simultaneously: let FF be the Fermat point of ACD,ACD, so AFC=AFD=120.\angle AFC = \angle AFD = 120^\circ. Since AFC+ABC=180,\angle AFC + \angle ABC = 180^\circ, point FF lies on the circumcircle of ABC,ABC, whence AFB=ACB=90;\angle AFB = \angle ACB = 90^\circ; similarly FF lies on the circumcircle of AEDAED and AFE=ADE=90.\angle AFE = \angle ADE = 90^\circ. Thus BFE=180,\angle BFE = 180^\circ, so FF lies on segment BEBE and f(F)=BE+T=38+193.f(F) = BE + T = 38 + 19\sqrt{3}. The answer is m+n+p=38+19+3=60.m + n + p = 38 + 19 + 3 = 60.

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