2003 AIME I Problem 6

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Concepts:cube geometrytriangle areacasework

Difficulty rating: 2370

6.

The sum of the areas of all triangles whose vertices are also vertices of a 11 by 11 by 11 cube is m+n+p,m + \sqrt{n} + \sqrt{p}, where m,m, n,n, and pp are integers. Find m+n+p.m + n + p.

Solution:

Every side of such a triangle is a cube edge, a face diagonal of length 2,\sqrt{2}, or a space diagonal of length 3.\sqrt{3}. Only three shapes occur. A triangle of two adjacent edges and a face diagonal is right with area 12;\frac{1}{2}; there are 44 per face, or 24.24. A triangle of three face diagonals is equilateral with area 32;\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}; each is determined by the three vertices adjacent to one of the 88 cube vertices, so there are 8.8. A triangle of an edge, a face diagonal, and a space diagonal is right with legs 11 and 2,\sqrt{2}, so its area is 22;\frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}; each of the 44 space diagonals forms one with each of the 66 vertices off that diagonal, so there are 24.24. (Indeed 24+8+24=(83)=56.24 + 8 + 24 = \binom{8}{3} = 56.)

The total area is 2412+832+2422=12+43+122=12+48+288,24 \cdot \frac{1}{2} + 8 \cdot \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} + 24 \cdot \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} = 12 + 4\sqrt{3} + 12\sqrt{2} = 12 + \sqrt{48} + \sqrt{288}, so m+n+p=12+48+288=348.m + n + p = 12 + 48 + 288 = 348.

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