2004 AMC 10B Problem 20

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 20 of the 2004 AMC 10B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2004 AMC 10B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:similarityparallel linesratio and proportion

Difficulty rating: 1840

20.

In ABC\triangle ABC points DD and EE lie on BC\overline{BC} and AC,\overline{AC}, respectively. If AD\overline{AD} and BE\overline{BE} intersect at TT so that AT/DT=3AT/DT = 3 and BT/ET=4,BT/ET = 4, what is CD/BD?CD/BD?

18\dfrac{1}{8}

29\dfrac{2}{9}

310\dfrac{3}{10}

411\dfrac{4}{11}

512\dfrac{5}{12}

Solution:

Let FF be on AC\overline{AC} with DFBE,DF \parallel BE, and write ET=x,ET = x, BT=4x.BT = 4x.

From ATEADF,\triangle ATE \sim \triangle ADF, DFx=ADAT=43,\dfrac{DF}{x} = \dfrac{AD}{AT} = \dfrac{4}{3}, so DF=4x3.DF = \dfrac{4x}{3}.

From BECDFC,\triangle BEC \sim \triangle DFC, CDBC=DFBE=4x/35x=415.\dfrac{CD}{BC} = \dfrac{DF}{BE} = \dfrac{4x/3}{5x} = \dfrac{4}{15}.

Therefore CDBD=CD/BC1CD/BC=4/1511/15=411.\dfrac{CD}{BD} = \dfrac{CD/BC}{1 - CD/BC} = \dfrac{4/15}{11/15} = \dfrac{4}{11}.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

Problem 20 in Other Years