2018 AIME II Problem 14

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 14 of the 2018 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2018 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:incircle, incenter, and inradiustangent linelaw of sinesangle chasing

Difficulty rating: 3500

14.

The incircle ω\omega of triangle ABCABC is tangent to BC\overline{BC} at X.X. Let YXY \neq X be the other intersection of AX\overline{AX} with ω.\omega. Points PP and QQ lie on AB\overline{AB} and AC,\overline{AC}, respectively, so that PQ\overline{PQ} is tangent to ω\omega at Y.Y. Assume that AP=3,AP = 3, PB=4,PB = 4, AC=8,AC = 8, and AQ=mn,AQ = \frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Solution:

Let ω\omega touch AB\overline{AB} at ZZ and AC\overline{AC} at W,W, and set α=BAX\alpha = \angle BAX and β=AXC.\beta = \angle AXC. The tangent-chord angle between PQPQ and chord XYXY equals the one between BCBC and XY,XY, so QYX=YXC=β,\angle QYX = \angle YXC = \beta, and vertical angles give AYP=β.\angle AYP = \beta. In triangle APYAPY the law of sines gives PY=APsinαsinβ,PY = AP\,\frac{\sin\alpha}{\sin\beta}, and by equal tangents PZ=PY,PZ = PY, so AZAP=1+PYAP=1+sinαsinβ.\frac{AZ}{AP} = 1 + \frac{PY}{AP} = 1 + \frac{\sin\alpha}{\sin\beta}. In triangle ABX,ABX, since AXB=180β,\angle AXB = 180^\circ - \beta, similarly BX=ABsinαsinβ,BX = AB\,\frac{\sin\alpha}{\sin\beta}, and BZ=BXBZ = BX gives AZAB=1sinαsinβ.\frac{AZ}{AB} = 1 - \frac{\sin\alpha}{\sin\beta}.

Adding the two relations, AZAP+AZAB=2,\frac{AZ}{AP} + \frac{AZ}{AB} = 2, so with AP=3AP = 3 and AB=7AB = 7 we get AZ(13+17)=2,AZ\left(\frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{7}\right) = 2, hence AZ=215.AZ = \frac{21}{5}. The identical argument on side ACAC (using XAC\angle XAC in triangles AQYAQY and ACXACX) gives AWAQ+AWAC=2,\frac{AW}{AQ} + \frac{AW}{AC} = 2, and AW=AZ=215AW = AZ = \frac{21}{5} by equal tangents from A.A. Therefore 1AQ=102118=59168,\frac{1}{AQ} = \frac{10}{21} - \frac{1}{8} = \frac{59}{168}, so AQ=16859AQ = \frac{168}{59} and m+n=168+59=227.m + n = 168 + 59 = 227.

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