2011 AMC 12B Problem 16

Attempt Problem 16 of the 2011 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 2011 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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16.

Rhombus ABCDABCD has side length 22 and B=120.\angle B=120^\circ. Region RR consists of all points inside the rhombus that are closer to vertex BB than any of the other three vertices. What is the area of R?R?

33\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{3}

32\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}

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

1+331+\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{3}

22

Answer: C
Concepts:perpendicular bisectorrhombusarea
Difficulty rating: 1850
Solution:

Let EE and HH be the midpoints of ABAB and BC.BC. The perpendicular bisector of ABAB through EE meets diagonal ACAC at F,F, and the perpendicular bisector of BCBC through HH meets ACAC at G.G. The region RR is the pentagon BEFGH.BEFGH.

Triangle AFEAFE is a 3030-6060-9090^\circ triangle with AE=1,AE=1, so its area is 12113=36.\dfrac12\cdot1\cdot\dfrac{1}{\sqrt3}=\dfrac{\sqrt3}{6}. Triangles BFEBFE and BGHBGH are congruent to it, and FBG\triangle FBG is equilateral, splitting into two more copies.

Hence RR consists of four congruent triangles, giving area 436=233.4\cdot\dfrac{\sqrt3}{6}=\dfrac{2\sqrt3}{3}.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

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