1997 AMC 8 Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 1997 AMC 8 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 1997 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

7.

The area of the smallest square that will contain a circle of radius 44 is
88
1616
3232
6464
128128
Answer: D
Concepts:areasquare (geometry)
Small hint:
Use diameter 88 as the side length
Big hint:
The smallest containing square has side equal to the circle diameter
Solution:
We can inscribe the circle inside the square so that it is tangent to the midpoints of each side of the square.
This means that the side length of the square is two times the radius of the circle, making it 2⋅4=8.2 \cdot 4 = 8.
Then the area of the square is 82=64. 8^2 = 64.
Thus, D is the correct answer.
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