2010 AIME II Problem 9

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 9 of the 2010 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2010 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:regular polygoncoordinate geometryarea ratiosymmetry

Difficulty rating: 2430

9.

Let ABCDEFABCDEF be a regular hexagon. Let G,G, H,H, I,I, J,J, K,K, and LL be the midpoints of sides AB,AB, BC,BC, CD,CD, DE,DE, EF,EF, and AF,AF, respectively. The segments AH,AH, BI,BI, CJ,CJ, DK,DK, EL,EL, and FGFG bound a smaller regular hexagon. Let the ratio of the area of the smaller hexagon to the area of ABCDEFABCDEF be expressed as a fraction mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Center the hexagon at the origin with circumradius 1:1: A=(1,0),A = (1, 0), B=(12,32),B = \left(\frac{1}{2}, \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right), C=(12,32),C = \left(-\frac{1}{2}, \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right), and F=(12,32).F = \left(\frac{1}{2}, -\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right). Then H=(0,32)H = \left(0, \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right) and G=(34,34).G = \left(\frac{3}{4}, \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}\right). Rotation by 6060^\circ permutes the six segments, so the smaller hexagon is regular and concentric, and the area ratio is the square of the ratio of distances from the center to a vertex.

One vertex is the intersection of AHAH and FG.FG. Line AHAH is x+23y=1,x + \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}\,y = 1, and line FGFG is y=33x23.y = 3\sqrt{3}\,x - 2\sqrt{3}. Substituting gives x+6x4=1,x + 6x - 4 = 1, so x=57x = \frac{5}{7} and y=37.y = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{7}.

That vertex has squared distance 2549+349=47\frac{25}{49} + \frac{3}{49} = \frac{4}{7} from the center, while AA is at distance 1.1. The ratio of areas is 47,\frac{4}{7}, and m+n=4+7=11.m + n = 4 + 7 = 11.

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