2012 AMC 10B Problem 21

Attempt Problem 21 of the 2012 AMC 10B 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 2012 AMC 10B solutions, or check the answer key.

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21.

Four distinct points are arranged in a plane so that the segments connecting them have lengths a,a, a,a, a,a, a,a, 2a,2a, and b.b. What is the ratio of bb to a?a?

3 \sqrt{3}

2 2

5 \sqrt{5}

3 3

π \pi

Answer: A
Concepts:equilateral triangleinscribed anglePythagorean Theorem
Difficulty rating: 1930
Solution:

Regard the four length-aa segments as edges of a graph on the four points. If they contained no triangle, they would form a 44-cycle. The length-2a2a segment would then be one of its diagonals. Each of the other two points gives a two-edge path of total length 2a2a between the diagonal's endpoints. Equality in the triangle inequality would force both intermediate points to be the midpoint of that diagonal, contradicting that the four points are distinct. Therefore three points do form an equilateral triangle of side a;a; call them A,B,C.A,B,C.

The fourth point DD is distance aa from one of these points, say A,A, and distance 2a2a from another, say B.B. Because BA+AD=BD,BA+AD=BD, the points B,A,DB,A,D are collinear and AA is the midpoint of BD.\overline{BD}. Thus BDBD is a diameter of the circle through B,C,DB,C,D centered at A,A, so BCD\triangle BCD is right.

Thus b2=(2a)2a2=3a2b^2=(2a)^2-a^2=3a^2, so b/a=3b/a=\sqrt3.

Thus, A is the correct answer.

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