Question

A fly trapped inside a cubical box with side length $1$ meter decides to relieve its boredom by visiting each corner of the box. It will begin and end in the same corner and visit each of the other corners exactly once. To get from a corner to any other corner, it will either fly or crawl in a straight line. What is the maximum possible length, in meters, of its path?

$4+4\sqrt{2}$

$2+4\sqrt{2}+2\sqrt{3}$

$2+3\sqrt{2}+3\sqrt{3}$

$4\sqrt{2}+4\sqrt{3}$

$3\sqrt{2}+5\sqrt{3}$

Solution:

Note that all the paths the fly can take have lengths of $1, \sqrt2,$ or $\sqrt3.$

There are only $4$ space diagonals in the cube, so at most $4$ moves can have length $\sqrt3.$ The other $4$ moves have length at most $\sqrt2.$

This upper bound is attainable, for example by alternating space diagonals and face diagonals around the vertices.

The path has length $4\sqrt2 + 4\sqrt3.$

Thus, D is the correct answer.

2010 AMC 10A Problem 20

Solution:

Problem 20 in Other Years