2021 AMC 10B Spring Problem 21

Below is the video solution and professionally curated solution for Problem 21 of the 2021 AMC 10B Spring, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2021 AMC 10B Spring solutions, or check the answer key.

All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

Concepts:paper foldingcoordinate geometry

Difficulty rating: 2230

21.

A square piece of paper has side length 11 and vertices A,B,C,A,B,C, and DD in that order. As shown in the figure, the paper is folded so that vertex CC meets edge AD\overline{AD} at point C,C', and edge BC\overline{BC} intersects edge AB\overline{AB} at point E.E. Suppose that CD=13.C'D = \frac{1}{3}. What is the perimeter of triangle AEC?\bigtriangleup AEC' ?

2 2

1+233 1+\dfrac{2}{3}\sqrt{3}

136 \dfrac{13}{6}

1+343 1 + \dfrac{3}{4}\sqrt{3}

73 \dfrac{7}{3}

Video solution:
Solution video thumbnail
Play video

Click to load, then click again to play

Written solution:

Use coordinates with A=(0,1)A=(0,1), B=(0,0)B=(0,0), C=(1,0)C=(1,0), and D=(1,1)D=(1,1). Since CD=13C'D=\frac13, we have C=(23,1)C'=(\frac23,1), so AC=23AC'=\frac23.

The fold reflects CC to CC', so the image of side BCBC is the line through CC' and EE. Reflecting B=(0,0)B=(0,0) across the perpendicular bisector of CCCC' gives (215,25)(-\frac{2}{15},\frac25). The line through this point and CC' meets ABAB at E=(0,12)E=(0,\frac12).

Thus AE=12AE=\frac12, and

EC=(23)2+(12)2=56.EC'=\sqrt{\left(\frac23\right)^2+\left(\frac12\right)^2}=\frac56.

The perimeter of AEC\triangle AEC' is

12+23+rac56=2.\frac12+\frac23+rac56=2.

Thus, the answer is A .

Problem 21 in Other Years