2009 AMC 12B Problem 9

Attempt Problem 9 of the 2009 AMC 12B 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 2009 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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9.

Triangle ABCABC has vertices A=(3,0),A = (3, 0), B=(0,3),B = (0, 3), and C,C, where CC is on the line x+y=7.x + y = 7. What is the area of ABC?\triangle ABC?

66

88

1010

1212

1414

Answer: A
Concepts:coordinate geometrytriangle areaparallel lines
Difficulty rating: 1390
Solution:

Line ABAB has equation x+y=3,x + y = 3, which is parallel to x+y=7,x + y = 7, so the area is independent of where CC lies on that line.

Take C=(7,0).C = (7, 0). Then the base AC=4AC = 4 lies on the xx-axis with height 3,3, giving area 1243=6.\dfrac{1}{2} \cdot 4 \cdot 3 = 6.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

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