2026 AIME I Problem 10

Attempt Problem 10 of the 2026 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 2026 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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10.

Let △ABC\triangle ABC have side lengths AB=13,AB = 13, BC=14,BC = 14, and CA=15.CA = 15. Triangle △A′B′C′\triangle A'B'C' is obtained by rotating △ABC\triangle ABC about its circumcenter so that A′C′‾\overline{A'C'} is perpendicular to BC‾,\overline{BC}, with A′A' and BB not on the same side of line B′C′.B'C'. Find the integer closest to the area of hexagon AA′CC′BB′.AA'CC'BB'.

Answer: 156
Concepts:coordinate geometrytransformationshoelace formulacircumcircle, circumcenter, and circumradius
Difficulty rating: 2920
Small Hint:

Use B=(0,0),B = (0,0), C=(14,0),C = (14,0), A=(5,12);A = (5,12); the circumcenter is (7,338),\left(7, \frac{33}{8}\right), and the rotation keeps all six vertices on the circumcircle

Big Hint:

Rotate direction (3,−4)(3,-4) of AC‾\overline{AC} to vertical; the side condition selects cos⁡φ=45,\cos\varphi = \frac{4}{5}, sin⁡φ=−35.\sin\varphi = -\frac{3}{5}. Use the shoelace formula

Solution:

Place B=(0,0),B = (0,0), C=(14,0),C = (14,0), A=(5,12).A = (5,12). The circumcenter lies on x=7,x = 7, and equating distances to BB and AA gives O=(7,338).O = \left(7, \frac{33}{8}\right). The direction of AC‾\overline{AC} is C−A=(9,−12),C - A = (9, -12), parallel to (3,−4).(3, -4). A rotation through φ\varphi makes A′C′‾\overline{A'C'} vertical exactly when it sends (3,−4)(3,-4) to (0,±5),(0, \pm 5), so (cos⁡φ,sin⁡φ)=(45,−35)(\cos\varphi, \sin\varphi) = \left(\frac{4}{5}, -\frac{3}{5}\right) or (−45,35).\left(-\frac{4}{5}, \frac{3}{5}\right). Use the scalar cross product to test sides of the directed line B′C′.B'C'. For the first rotation, (C′−B′)×(A′−B′)=168,(C′−B′)×(B−B′)=−1894, \begin{aligned} (C'-B') \times (A'-B') &= 168, \\ (C'-B') \times (B-B') &= -\frac{189}{4}, \end{aligned} while for the second rotation these quantities are 168168 and 6514,\frac{651}{4}, respectively. Thus A′A' and BB are on opposite sides only for cos⁡φ=45,\cos\varphi = \frac{4}{5}, sin⁡φ=−35.\sin\varphi = -\frac{3}{5}.

With this rotation, P′=O+R(P−O)P' = O + R(P - O) gives A′=(818,938),A' = \left(\tfrac{81}{8}, \tfrac{93}{8}\right), B′=(−4340,20140),B' = \left(-\tfrac{43}{40}, \tfrac{201}{40}\right), C′=(818,−278).C' = \left(\tfrac{81}{8}, -\tfrac{27}{8}\right). For example, A−O=(−2,638)A - O = \left(-2, \tfrac{63}{8}\right) rotates to (258,152),\left(\tfrac{25}{8}, \tfrac{15}{2}\right), giving A′=(818,938).A' = \left(\tfrac{81}{8}, \tfrac{93}{8}\right).

The hexagon AA′CC′BB′A A' C C' B B' is simple with these vertices in order, so the shoelace formula on (5,12),(5,12), (818,938),\left(\tfrac{81}{8}, \tfrac{93}{8}\right), (14,0),(14,0), (818,−278),\left(\tfrac{81}{8}, -\tfrac{27}{8}\right), (0,0),(0,0), (−4340,20140)\left(-\tfrac{43}{40}, \tfrac{201}{40}\right) gives area 155710=155.7.\frac{1557}{10} = 155.7. The closest integer is 156.156.

Problem 9#9
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