Difference between revisions of "1983 AIME Problems/Problem 15"
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== Problem == | == Problem == | ||
The adjoining figure shows two intersecting chords in a circle, with <math>B</math> on minor arc <math>AD</math>. Suppose that the radius of the circle is <math>5</math>, that <math>BC=6</math>, and that <math>AD</math> is bisected by <math>BC</math>. Suppose further that <math>AD</math> is the only chord starting at <math>A</math> which is bisected by <math>BC</math>. It follows that the sine of the minor arc <math>AB</math> is a rational number. If this fraction is expressed as a fraction <math>\frac{m}{n}</math> in lowest terms, what is the product <math>mn</math>? | The adjoining figure shows two intersecting chords in a circle, with <math>B</math> on minor arc <math>AD</math>. Suppose that the radius of the circle is <math>5</math>, that <math>BC=6</math>, and that <math>AD</math> is bisected by <math>BC</math>. Suppose further that <math>AD</math> is the only chord starting at <math>A</math> which is bisected by <math>BC</math>. It follows that the sine of the minor arc <math>AB</math> is a rational number. If this fraction is expressed as a fraction <math>\frac{m}{n}</math> in lowest terms, what is the product <math>mn</math>? | ||
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== Solution == | == Solution == |
Revision as of 01:43, 21 January 2007
Problem
The adjoining figure shows two intersecting chords in a circle, with on minor arc
. Suppose that the radius of the circle is
, that
, and that
is bisected by
. Suppose further that
is the only chord starting at
which is bisected by
. It follows that the sine of the minor arc
is a rational number. If this fraction is expressed as a fraction
in lowest terms, what is the product
?
Solution
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Let be any fixed point on circle
and let
be a chord of circle
. The locus of midpoints
of the chord
is a circle
, with diameter
. Generally, the circle
can intersect the chord
at two points, one point, or they may not have a point of intersection. By the problem condition, however, the circle
is tangent to BC at point N.
Let M be the midpoint of the chord such that
. From right angle triangle
,
. Thus,
.
Notice that the distance equals
(Where
is the radius of circle P). Evaluating this,
. From
, we see that
Next, notice that . We can therefore apply the tangent subtraction formula to obtain ,
. It follows that
, resulting in an answer of
.