2004 AMC 8 Problem 24

Attempt Problem 24 of the 2004 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 2004 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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24.

In the figure, ABCDABCD is a rectangle and EFGHEFGH is a parallelogram. Using the measurements given in the figure, what is the length dd of the segment that is perpendicular to HE‾\overline{HE} and FG‾?\overline{FG}?
6.86.8
7.17.1
7.67.6
7.87.8
8.18.1
Answer: C
Concepts:parallelogramarea decompositionPythagorean Theorem
Small hint:
Find the area of the rectangle and subtract the four corner triangles.
Big hint:
Use the Pythagorean theorem to get the parallelogram base HE.HE.
Solution:
The rectangle has side lengths 1010 and 8,8, so its area is 80.80.
The four corner triangles have total area 2⋅12⋅3⋅4+2⋅12⋅6⋅5=12+30=42. \begin{aligned} &2\cdot\frac12\cdot3\cdot4 \\ &\quad{}+2\cdot\frac12\cdot6\cdot5 \\ &=12+30=42. \end{aligned} Thus parallelogram EFGHEFGH has area 80−42=38.80-42=38.
Segment HEHE has length 55 by the 3−4−53-4-5 right triangle. Since the parallelogram area is HE⋅d,HE\cdot d, we have 5d=38,5d=38, so d=7.6.d=7.6.
Thus, C is the correct answer.
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