2023 AMC 12B Problem 11

Attempt Problem 11 of the 2023 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 2023 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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11.

What is the maximum area of an isosceles trapezoid that has legs of length 11 and one base twice as long as the other?

54\dfrac{5}{4}

87\dfrac{8}{7}

524\dfrac{5\sqrt{2}}{4}

32\dfrac{3}{2}

334\dfrac{3\sqrt{3}}{4}

Answer: D
Concepts:trapezoidoptimization
Difficulty rating: 1570
Solution:

Let the bases be aa and 2a.2a. Each leg has horizontal offset a2,\tfrac{a}{2}, so the height is 1a24\sqrt{1-\tfrac{a^2}{4}} and the area is A=3a21a24.A=\tfrac{3a}{2}\sqrt{1-\tfrac{a^2}{4}}. Then A2=94(a2a44),A^2=\tfrac94\left(a^2-\tfrac{a^4}{4}\right), maximized when a2=2.a^2=2. There the height is 12\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2} and A=32212=32.A=\tfrac{3\sqrt2}{2}\cdot\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2}=\tfrac{3}{2}.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

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