2007 AIME II Problem 15

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 15 of the 2007 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2007 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:homothetyincircle, incenter, and inradiuscircumcircle, circumcenter, and circumradiusHeron’s Formula

Difficulty rating: 3270

15.

Four circles ω,\omega, ωA,\omega_A, ωB,\omega_B, and ωC\omega_C with the same radius are drawn in the interior of triangle ABCABC such that ωA\omega_A is tangent to sides ABAB and AC,AC, ωB\omega_B to BCBC and BA,BA, ωC\omega_C to CACA and CB,CB, and ω\omega is externally tangent to ωA,\omega_A, ωB,\omega_B, and ωC.\omega_C. If the sides of triangle ABCABC are 13,13, 14,14, and 15,15, the radius of ω\omega can be represented in the form mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Let xx be the common radius, and let OA,O_A, OB,O_B, OCO_C be the centers of ωA,\omega_A, ωB,\omega_B, ωC.\omega_C. Each is at distance xx from two sides of the triangle, so each lies on an angle bisector, and the sides of triangle OAOBOCO_A O_B O_C are parallel to those of ABCABC at distance x.x. Hence OAOBOCO_A O_B O_C is the image of ABCABC under the homothety centered at the incenter II with ratio rxr,\frac{r - x}{r}, where rr is the inradius; in particular its circumradius is Rrxr,R \cdot \frac{r - x}{r}, where RR is the circumradius of ABC.ABC.

The center of ω\omega is at distance 2x2x from each of OA,O_A, OB,O_B, OCO_C (externally tangent equal circles), so it is the circumcenter of OAOBOCO_A O_B O_C and 2x=Rrxr.2x = R \cdot \frac{r - x}{r}. For the 1313-1414-1515 triangle, s=21s = 21 and Heron's formula gives area 21876=84,\sqrt{21 \cdot 8 \cdot 7 \cdot 6} = 84, so r=8421=4r = \frac{84}{21} = 4 and R=131415484=658.R = \frac{13 \cdot 14 \cdot 15}{4 \cdot 84} = \frac{65}{8}.

Then 2x=6584x42x = \frac{65}{8} \cdot \frac{4 - x}{4} gives 64x=26065x,64x = 260 - 65x, so x=260129.x = \frac{260}{129}. Since 129=343129 = 3 \cdot 43 shares no factor with 260,260, the answer is m+n=260+129=389.m + n = 260 + 129 = 389.

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