Question

In the figure below, $N$ congruent semicircles are drawn along a diameter of a large semicircle, with their diameters covering the diameter of the large semicircle with no overlap. Let $A$ be the combined area of the small semicircles and $B$ be the area of the region inside the large semicircle but outside the small semicircles. The ratio $A : B$ is $1 : 18.$ What is $N?$

$16$

$17$

$18$

$19$

$36$

Solution:

Let each small semicircle have radius $r.$ The $N$ diameters cover the big diameter, so the large radius is $Nr.$ Then $A = N \cdot \tfrac12 \pi r^2,$ and the large semicircle has area $\tfrac12 \pi (Nr)^2,$ so the leftover region is $B = \tfrac12 \pi r^2(N^2 - N).$ This gives $A : B = N : N(N-1) = 1 : (N-1).$ Set $N - 1 = 18,$ and $N = 19.$ Thus, D is the correct answer.

2018 AMC 10B Problem 7

Solution:

Problem 7 in Other Years