Difference between revisions of "2017 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 24"

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==Solution==
 
==Solution==
WLOG, let the centroid of <math>\triangle ABC</math> be <math>I = (-1,-1)</math>. The centroid of an equilateral triangle is the same as the circumcenter. It follows that the circumcircle must intersect the graph exactly three times. Therefore, <math>A = (1,1)</math>, so <math>AI = BI = CI = 2\sqrt{2}</math>, so since <math>\triangle AIB</math> is isosceles and <math>\angle AIB = 120^{\circ}</math>, then by Law of Cosines, <math>AB = 2\sqrt{6}</math>. Therefore, the area of the triangle is <math>\frac{(2\sqrt{6})^2\sqrt{3}}4 = 6\sqrt{3}</math>, so the square of the area of the triangle is <math>\boxed{\textbf{(C) } 108}</math>.
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WLOG, let the centroid of <math>\triangle ABC</math> be <math>I = (-1,-1)</math>. The centroid of an equilateral triangle is the same as the circumcenter. It follows that the circumcircle must intersect the graph exactly three times. Therefore, <math>A = (1,1)</math>, so <math>AI = BI = CI = 2\sqrt{2}</math>, so since <math>\triangle AIB</math> is isosceles and <math>\angle AIB = 120^{\circ}</math>, then by Law of Cosines, <math>AB = 2\sqrt{6}</math>. Alternatively, we can use the fact that the circumradius of an equilateral triangle is equal to <math>\frac {s}{\sqrt{3}}</math>. Therefore, the area of the triangle is <math>\frac{(2\sqrt{6})^2\sqrt{3}}4 = 6\sqrt{3}</math>, so the square of the area of the triangle is <math>\boxed{\textbf{(C) } 108}</math>.
  
 
==Solution 2==
 
==Solution 2==

Revision as of 08:56, 8 July 2018

Problem 24

The vertices of an equilateral triangle lie on the hyperbola $xy=1$, and a vertex of this hyperbola is the centroid of the triangle. What is the square of the area of the triangle?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 48\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 60\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 108\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 120\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 169$

Solution

WLOG, let the centroid of $\triangle ABC$ be $I = (-1,-1)$. The centroid of an equilateral triangle is the same as the circumcenter. It follows that the circumcircle must intersect the graph exactly three times. Therefore, $A = (1,1)$, so $AI = BI = CI = 2\sqrt{2}$, so since $\triangle AIB$ is isosceles and $\angle AIB = 120^{\circ}$, then by Law of Cosines, $AB = 2\sqrt{6}$. Alternatively, we can use the fact that the circumradius of an equilateral triangle is equal to $\frac {s}{\sqrt{3}}$. Therefore, the area of the triangle is $\frac{(2\sqrt{6})^2\sqrt{3}}4 = 6\sqrt{3}$, so the square of the area of the triangle is $\boxed{\textbf{(C) } 108}$.

Solution 2

WLOG, let the centroid of $\triangle ABC$ be $G = (-1,-1)$. Then, one of the vertices must be the other curve of the hyperbola. WLOG, let $A = (1,1)$. Then, point $B$ must be the reflection of $C$ across the line $y=x$, so let $B = (a,\frac{1}{a})$ and $C=(\frac{1}{a},a)$, where $a <-1$. Because $G$ is the centroid, the average of the $x$-coordinates of the vertices of the triangle is $-1$. So we know that $a + 1/a+ 1 = -3$. Multiplying by $a$ and solving gives us $a=-2-\sqrt{3}$. So $B=(-2-\sqrt{3},-2+\sqrt{3})$ and $C=(-2+\sqrt{3},-2-\sqrt{3})$. So $BC=2\sqrt{6}$, and finding the square of the area gives us $\boxed{\textbf{(C) } 108}$.

See Also

2017 AMC 10B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 23
Followed by
Problem 25
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 AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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