1978 AMC 12 Problem 28

Attempt Problem 28 of the 1978 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 1978 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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28.

If A1A2A3\triangle A_1A_2A_3 is equilateral and An+3A_{n+3} is the midpoint of line segment AnAn+1A_nA_{n+1} for all positive integers n,n, then the measure of A44A45A43\angle A_{44}A_{45}A_{43} equals

3030^\circ

4545^\circ

6060^\circ

9090^\circ

120120^\circ

Answer: E
Concepts:midpointrecursionvector
Difficulty rating: 2200
Small Hint:

Let dn=AnAn+1\mathbf d_n=\overrightarrow{A_nA_{n+1}} and derive a recurrence for these vectors

Big Hint:

Show that dn+4=14dn,\mathbf d_{n+4}=-\frac14\mathbf d_n, reducing the requested angle to one among the first few points

Solution:

Let dn=AnAn+1.\mathbf d_n=\overrightarrow{A_nA_{n+1}}. The midpoint rule gives dn+3=12(dn+dn+1)\mathbf d_{n+3}=\frac12(\mathbf d_n+\mathbf d_{n+1}) and also dn+dn+1+dn+2=12dn.\mathbf d_n+\mathbf d_{n+1}+\mathbf d_{n+2}=\frac12\mathbf d_n. Consequently, dn+4=12(dn+1+dn+2)=14dn. \begin{aligned} \mathbf d_{n+4} &=\frac12(\mathbf d_{n+1}+\mathbf d_{n+2})\\ &=-\frac14\mathbf d_n. \end{aligned} Thus d43\mathbf d_{43} and d44\mathbf d_{44} are the same positive scalar multiple of d3\mathbf d_3 and d4,\mathbf d_4, respectively, so A44A45A43=A4A5A3.\angle A_{44}A_{45}A_{43}=\angle A_4A_5A_3. Since A4A_4 and A5A_5 are the midpoints of A1A2A_1A_2 and A2A3,A_2A_3, A4A5A1A3.A_4A_5\parallel A_1A_3. The equilateral-triangle angles then give A4A5A3=120.\angle A_4A_5A_3=120^\circ.

Therefore, the correct answer is E.

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