2022 AMC 12B Problem 19

Attempt Problem 19 of the 2022 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 2022 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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19.

In ABC\triangle ABC medians AD\overline{AD} and BE\overline{BE} intersect at GG and AGE\triangle AGE is equilateral. Then cos(C)\cos(C) can be written as mpn,\dfrac{m\sqrt p}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers and pp is a positive integer not divisible by the square of any prime. What is m+n+p?m + n + p?

4444

4848

5252

5656

6060

Answer: A
Concepts:median (geometry)centroidlaw of cosines
Difficulty rating: 2020
Solution:

Let a=BC,a = BC, b=CA,b = CA, c=AB.c = AB. Since EE is the midpoint of AC,AC, AE=b2.AE = \tfrac{b}{2}. The centroid gives AG=23maAG = \tfrac23 m_a and GE=13mb,GE = \tfrac13 m_b, where ma,mbm_a, m_b are the medians from AA and B.B.

Equilateral AGE\triangle AGE means AG=GE=AE.AG = GE = AE. From 23ma=b2\tfrac23 m_a = \tfrac{b}{2} we get ma=34b,m_a = \tfrac34 b, which with ma2=2b2+2c2a24m_a^2 = \tfrac{2b^2 + 2c^2 - a^2}{4} gives 2c2a2=b24.2c^2 - a^2 = \tfrac{b^2}{4}. From 13mb=b2\tfrac13 m_b = \tfrac{b}{2} we get mb=32b,m_b = \tfrac32 b, giving a2+c2=5b2.a^2 + c^2 = 5b^2.

Solving, c2=7b24c^2 = \tfrac{7b^2}{4} and a2=13b24.a^2 = \tfrac{13b^2}{4}. Taking b=2b = 2 gives a2=13,a^2 = 13, c2=7,c^2 = 7, so cosC=a2+b2c22ab=13+472132=51326. \begin{aligned} \cos C &= \dfrac{a^2 + b^2 - c^2}{2ab} \\ &= \dfrac{13 + 4 - 7}{2 \cdot \sqrt{13} \cdot 2} \\ &= \dfrac{5\sqrt{13}}{26}. \end{aligned}

Then m+n+p=5+26+13=44.m + n + p = 5 + 26 + 13 = 44.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

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