2022 AMC 12B Problem 21

Attempt Problem 21 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.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

21.

Let SS be the set of circles in the coordinate plane that are tangent to each of the three circles with equations x2+y2=4,x^2 + y^2 = 4, x2+y2=64,x^2 + y^2 = 64, and (x−5)2+y2=3.(x - 5)^2 + y^2 = 3. What is the sum of the areas of all circles in S?S?
48π48\pi
68π68\pi
96π96\pi
102π102\pi
136π136\pi
Answer: E
Concepts:tangent circlescircle areacasework
Small hint:
A circle tangent to both concentric circles (radii 22 and 88) has radius 33 or radius 55
Big hint:
The radius-33 circles have centers on the circle of radius 5;5; the radius-55 circles on the circle of radius 3.3. Count how many of each are also tangent to the third circle
Solution:
The first two circles are concentric with radii 22 and 8.8. A circle tangent to both either has radius 33 with center at distance 55 from the origin, or radius 55 with center at distance 33 from the origin.
The third circle has center (5,0)(5, 0) and radius 3.\sqrt3. For each candidate radius s∈{3,5},s\in\{3,5\}, tangency requires the center’s distance from (5,0)(5,0) to be s+3s+\sqrt3 or s−3.s-\sqrt3. Each of these two distance circles intersects the appropriate center-locus in two symmetric points. Hence exactly four radius-33 circles and four radius-55 circles work.
The sum of the areas is 4⋅π(3)2+4⋅π(5)24 \cdot \pi(3)^2 + 4 \cdot \pi(5)^2 =36π+100π=136π.= 36\pi + 100\pi = 136\pi.
Thus, the correct answer is E.
LIVE by Po-Shen Loh
Programs

LIVE Classes

Self-Paced Classes

Stars

Scholarship

About Us

Who Is Po-Shen Loh?

Email Contact

Newsletter

Jobs

Become a Star

For a more Thought Full world.

© 2026 Expii, Inc.