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Difference between revisions of "2000 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 25"

(Created page with "The area of rectangle <math>ABCD</math> is <math>72</math>. If point <math>A</math> and the midpoints of <math> \overline{BC} </math> and <math> \overline{CD} </math> are joined ...")
 
(Solutoin and see also)
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==Problem==
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The area of rectangle <math>ABCD</math> is <math>72</math>. If point <math>A</math> and the midpoints of <math> \overline{BC} </math> and <math> \overline{CD} </math> are joined to form a triangle, the area of that triangle is
 
The area of rectangle <math>ABCD</math> is <math>72</math>. If point <math>A</math> and the midpoints of <math> \overline{BC} </math> and <math> \overline{CD} </math> are joined to form a triangle, the area of that triangle is
  
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<math> \text{(A)}\ 21\qquad\text{(B)}\ 27\qquad\text{(C)}\ 30\qquad\text{(D)}\ 36\qquad\text{(E)}\ 40 </math>
 
<math> \text{(A)}\ 21\qquad\text{(B)}\ 27\qquad\text{(C)}\ 30\qquad\text{(D)}\ 36\qquad\text{(E)}\ 40 </math>
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==Solution 1==
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To quickly solve this multiple choice problem, make the (not necessarily valid, but very convenient) assumption that <math>ABCD</math> can have any dimension.  Give the rectangle dimensions of <math>AB = CD = 12</math> and <math>BC = AD= 6</math>, which is the easiest way to avoid fractions.  Labelling the right midpoint as <math>M</math>, and the bottom midpoint as <math>N</math>, we know that <math>DN = NC = 6</math>, and <math>BM = MC = 3</math>. 
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<math>[\triangle ADN] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 6\cdot 6 = 18</math>
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<math>[\triangle MNC] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 3\cdot 6 = 9</math>
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<math>[\triangle ABM] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 12\cdot 3 = 18</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = [\square ABCD] - [\triangle ADN] - [\triangle MNC] - [\triangle ABM]</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = 72 - 18 - 9 - 18</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = 27</math>, and the answer is <math>\boxed{D}</math>
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==Solution 2==
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The above answer is fast, but not satisfying, and assumes that the area of <math>\triangle AMN</math> is independent of the dimensions of the rectangle.  Label <math>AB = CD = l</math> and <math>BC = DA = h</math>
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Labelling <math>M</math> and <math>N</math> as the right and lower midpoints respectively, and redoing all the work above, we get:
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<math>[\triangle ADN] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot h\cdot \frac{l}{2} = \frac{lh}{4}</math>
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<math>[\triangle MNC] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot \frac{l}{2}\cdot \frac{w}{2} = \frac{lh}{8}</math>
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<math>[\triangle ABM] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot l\cdot \frac{h}{2} = \frac{lh}{4}</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = [\square ABCD] - [\triangle ADN] - [\triangle MNC] - [\triangle ABM]</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = lh - \frac{lh}{4} - \frac{lh}{8} - \frac{lh}{4}</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = \frac{3}{8}lh = \frac{3}{8}\cdot 72 = 27</math>, and the answer is <math>\boxed{D}</math>
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<math>[\triangle AMN] = 27</math>, and the answer is <math>\boxed{D}</math>
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==See Also==
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{{AMC8 box|year=2000|num-b=24|after=Last<br />Question}}}}

Revision as of 21:30, 30 July 2011

Problem

The area of rectangle $ABCD$ is $72$. If point $A$ and the midpoints of $\overline{BC}$ and $\overline{CD}$ are joined to form a triangle, the area of that triangle is

[asy] pair A,B,C,D; A = (0,8); B = (9,8); C = (9,0); D = (0,0); draw(A--B--C--D--A--(9,4)--(4.5,0)--cycle); label("$A$",A,NW); label("$B$",B,NE); label("$C$",C,SE); label("$D$",D,SW);[/asy]

$\text{(A)}\ 21\qquad\text{(B)}\ 27\qquad\text{(C)}\ 30\qquad\text{(D)}\ 36\qquad\text{(E)}\ 40$


Solution 1

To quickly solve this multiple choice problem, make the (not necessarily valid, but very convenient) assumption that $ABCD$ can have any dimension. Give the rectangle dimensions of $AB = CD = 12$ and $BC = AD= 6$, which is the easiest way to avoid fractions. Labelling the right midpoint as $M$, and the bottom midpoint as $N$, we know that $DN = NC = 6$, and $BM = MC = 3$.

$[\triangle ADN] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 6\cdot 6 = 18$

$[\triangle MNC] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 3\cdot 6 = 9$

$[\triangle ABM] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot 12\cdot 3 = 18$

$[\triangle AMN] = [\square ABCD] - [\triangle ADN] - [\triangle MNC] - [\triangle ABM]$

$[\triangle AMN] = 72 - 18 - 9 - 18$

$[\triangle AMN] = 27$, and the answer is $\boxed{D}$

Solution 2

The above answer is fast, but not satisfying, and assumes that the area of $\triangle AMN$ is independent of the dimensions of the rectangle. Label $AB = CD = l$ and $BC = DA = h$

Labelling $M$ and $N$ as the right and lower midpoints respectively, and redoing all the work above, we get:

$[\triangle ADN] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot h\cdot \frac{l}{2} = \frac{lh}{4}$

$[\triangle MNC] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot \frac{l}{2}\cdot \frac{w}{2} = \frac{lh}{8}$

$[\triangle ABM] = \frac{1}{2}\cdot l\cdot \frac{h}{2} = \frac{lh}{4}$

$[\triangle AMN] = [\square ABCD] - [\triangle ADN] - [\triangle MNC] - [\triangle ABM]$

$[\triangle AMN] = lh - \frac{lh}{4} - \frac{lh}{8} - \frac{lh}{4}$

$[\triangle AMN] = \frac{3}{8}lh = \frac{3}{8}\cdot 72 = 27$, and the answer is $\boxed{D}$

$[\triangle AMN] = 27$, and the answer is $\boxed{D}$


See Also

2000 AMC 8 (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
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Problem 24 		Followed by
Last
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1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

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