2003 AMC 12A Problem 14

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 14 of the 2003 AMC 12A, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2003 AMC 12A solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:equilateral trianglesquare (geometry)symmetry

Difficulty rating: 1570

14.

Points K,K, L,L, M,M, and NN lie in the plane of the square ABCDABCD so that AKB,AKB, BLC,BLC, CMD,CMD, and DNADNA are equilateral triangles. If ABCDABCD has an area of 16,16, find the area of KLMN.KLMN.

3232

16+16316 + 16\sqrt{3}

4848

32+16332 + 16\sqrt{3}

6464

Solution:

The square ABCDABCD has side 4.4. By the 9090^\circ rotational symmetry, KLMNKLMN is also a square.

Each equilateral triangle on a side of length 44 has height 23,2\sqrt3, so the diagonal KM=4+2(23)=4+43.KM=4+2(2\sqrt3)=4+4\sqrt3.

A square with diagonal dd has area 12d2,\dfrac12 d^2, so [KLMN]=12(4+43)2=32+163.[KLMN]=\dfrac12(4+4\sqrt3)^2=32+16\sqrt3.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

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