2014 AMC 12B Problem 21

Attempt Problem 21 of the 2014 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 2014 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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21.

In the figure, ABCDABCD is a square of side length 1.1. The rectangles JKHGJKHG and EBCFEBCF are congruent. What is BE?BE?

12(62)\dfrac12(\sqrt{6} - 2)

14\dfrac14

232 - \sqrt{3}

36\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{6}

1221 - \dfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2}

Answer: C
Concepts:right triangletrigonometryangle chasing
Difficulty rating: 2350
Solution:

Let x=BE=GH=CFx = BE = GH = CF and θ=DHG=AGJ\theta = \angle DHG = \angle AGJ =FKH,= \angle FKH, with AD=GJ=HK=1.AD = GJ = HK = 1. In right triangle GDH,GDH, xsinθ=DG=1cosθ,x \sin\theta = DG = 1 - \cos\theta, so x=1cosθsinθ.x = \dfrac{1 - \cos\theta}{\sin\theta}.

Along side CD,CD, 1=CF+FH+HD=x+sinθ+xcosθ. \begin{gathered} 1 = CF + FH + HD \\ = x + \sin\theta + x\cos\theta. \end{gathered} Substituting for xx gives 1=(1cosθ)(1+cosθ)sinθ+sinθ=sin2θsinθ+sinθ=2sinθ. \begin{gathered} 1 = \dfrac{(1-\cos\theta)(1+\cos\theta)}{\sin\theta} \\ {}+ \sin\theta \\ = \dfrac{\sin^2\theta}{\sin\theta} \\ {}+ \sin\theta \\ = 2\sin\theta. \end{gathered}

Hence sinθ=12,\sin\theta = \tfrac12, so θ=30\theta = 30^\circ and x=13212=23. x = \dfrac{1 - \frac{\sqrt3}{2}}{\frac12} = 2 - \sqrt3.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

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