1962 AMC 12 Problem 39

Attempt Problem 39 of the 1962 AMC 12 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 1962 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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39.

The medians ANAN and BPBP of a triangle with unequal sides are, respectively, 33 inches and 66 inches long. Its area is 3153\sqrt{15} square inches. The length of the third median, in inches, is:

44

333\sqrt3

363\sqrt6

636\sqrt3

666\sqrt6

Answer: C
Concepts:median (geometry)law of cosinesarea
Difficulty rating: 2090
Small Hint:

The three medians form the side lengths of a triangle whose area is three-fourths the original area

Big Hint:

Use the two known median lengths and that area to find the two possible included angles, then reject the case that makes two medians equal

Solution:

The triangle whose sides are the three medians has area 34(315)=9154. \frac34\left(3\sqrt{15}\right)=\frac{9\sqrt{15}}4. If θ\theta is the included angle between its sides 33 and 6,6, then 9sinθ=9154, 9\sin\theta=\frac{9\sqrt{15}}4, so cosθ=±14.\cos\theta=\pm\frac{1}{4}. By the law of cosines, the third median mm satisfies m2=32+622(3)(6)cosθ, m^2=3^2+6^2-2(3)(6)\cos\theta, giving m2=36m^2=36 or 54.54. The value m=6m=6 would make two medians, and hence two sides, equal. Because the triangle has unequal sides, m=54=36.m=\sqrt{54}=3\sqrt6.

Therefore, the correct answer is C.

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