2014 AMC 10A Problem 23

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Concepts:paper foldingequilateral trianglearea

Difficulty rating: 2150

23.

A rectangular piece of paper whose length is 3\sqrt3 times the width has area A.A. The paper is divided into three equal sections along the opposite lengths, and then a dotted line is drawn from the first divider to the second divider on the opposite side as shown. The paper is then folded flat along this dotted line to create a new shape with area B.B. What is the ratio BA?\dfrac{B}{A}?

12\dfrac{1}{2}

35\dfrac{3}{5}

23\dfrac{2}{3}

34\dfrac{3}{4}

45\dfrac{4}{5}

Solution:

WLOG, let the width of the rectangle be 11 and the length be 3.\sqrt3.

Draw the line perpendicular to the midpoint of the fold, as shown below.

Note that QR=233QR = \dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3} and QT=12+(33)2 QT = \sqrt{1^2 + \left(\dfrac{\sqrt3}{3}\right)^2}=1+13=43. = \sqrt{1 + \dfrac{1}{3}} = \sqrt{\dfrac{4}{3}}. This tells us QT=233=QR. QT = \dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3} = QR. This means that \triangleriangle QRT is equilateral. Similarly, \triangleriangle RTS is equilateral. This makes the two triangles congruent.

This means that after the rectangle gets folded, this area will be overlapped. The area of the rectangle is 13=3.1 \cdot \sqrt3 = \sqrt3. The side length of this triangle is QT=233.QT = \dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3}. The area of it is then (233)234=33. \left(\dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3}\right)^2 \cdot \dfrac{\sqrt3}{4} = \dfrac{\sqrt3}{3}. The area of the folded figure is then 333=233. \sqrt3 - \dfrac{\sqrt3}{3} = \dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3}. The desired ratio is then 233÷3=23. \dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3} \div \sqrt3 = \dfrac{2}{3}. Thus, C is the correct answer.

Problem 23 in Other Years