2013 AMC 10A Problem 23

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 23 of the 2013 AMC 10A, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2013 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.

All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

Concepts:power of a pointprime factorizationtriangle inequality

Difficulty rating: 2010

23.

In ABC,\triangle ABC, AB=86,AB = 86, and AC=97.AC=97. A circle with center AA and radius ABAB intersects BC\overline{BC} at points BB and X.X. Moreover BX\overline{BX} and CX\overline{CX} have integer lengths. What is BC?BC?

1111

2828

3333

6161

7272

Solution:

By power of a point from CC, CBCX=AC2AB2=972862CB\cdot CX=AC^2-AB^2=97^2-86^2.

This equals (9786)(97+86)=11183=2013=31161(97-86)(97+86)=11\cdot183=2013=3\cdot11\cdot61.

Both CXCX and BXBX are integers, so BC=BX+CXBC=BX+CX is an integer factor paired with CXCX. Also CX<BC<86+97=183CX<BC<86+97=183, so the only possible pair is CX=33CX=33, BC=61BC=61.

Thus, D is the correct answer.

Problem 23 in Other Years