2010 AIME I Problems/Problem 15

Problem

In $\triangle{ABC}$ with $AB = 12$ , $BC = 13$ , and $AC = 15$ , let $M$ be a point on $\overline{AC}$ such that the incircles of $\triangle{ABM}$ and $\triangle{BCM}$ have equal radii. Let $p$ and $q$ be positive relatively prime integers such that $\frac {AM}{CM} = \frac {p}{q}$ . Find $p + q$ .

Solution

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Solution 1

Let $AM = x$ , then $CM = 15 - x$ . Also let $BM = d$ Clearly, $\frac {[ABM]}{[CBM]} = \frac {x}{15 - x}$ . We can also express each area by the rs formula. Then $\frac {[ABM]}{[CBM]} = \frac {p(ABM)}{p(CBM)} = \frac {12 + d + x}{28 + d - x}$ . Equating and cross-multiplying yields $25x + 2dx = 15d + 180$ or $d = \frac {25x - 180}{15 - 2x}.$ Note that for d to be positive, we must have $7.2 < x < 7.5$ .

By Stewart's Theorem, we have $12^2(15 - x) + 13^2x = d^215 + 15x(15 - x)$ or $432 = 3d^2 + 40x - 3x^2.$ Brute forcing by plugging in our previous result for $d$ , we have $432 = \frac {3(25x - 180)^2}{(15 - 2x)^2} + 40x - 3x^2.$ Clearing the fraction and gathering like terms, we get $0 = 12x^4 - 340x^3 + 2928x^2 - 7920x.$

Aside: Since $x$ must be rational in order for our answer to be in the desired form, we can use the Rational Root Theorem to reveal that $12x$ is an integer. The only such $x$ in the above-stated range is $\frac {22}3$ .

Legitimately solving that quartic, note that $x = 0$ and $x = 15$ should clearly be solutions, corresponding to the sides of the triangle and thus degenerate cevians. Factoring those out, we get $0 = 4x(x - 15)(3x^2 - 40x + 132) = x(x - 15)(x - 6)(3x - 22).$ The only solution in the desired range is thus $\frac {22}3$ . Then $CM = \frac {23}3$ , and our desired ratio $\frac {AM}{CM} = \frac {22}{23}$ , giving us an answer of $\boxed{045}$ .

Solution 2

Let $AM = 2x$ and $BM = 2y$ so $CM = 15 - 2x$ . Let the incenters of $\triangle ABM$ and $\triangle BCM$ be $I_1$ and $I_2$ respectively, and their equal inradii be $r$ . From $r = \sqrt {(s - a)(s - b)(s - c)/s}$ , we find that

$\begin{align*}r^2 & = \frac {(x + y - 6)( - x + y + 6)(x - y + 6)}{x + y + 6} & (1) \\ & = \frac {( - x + y + 1)(x + y - 1)( - x - y + 14)}{ - x + y + 14}. & (2) \end{align*}$

Let the incircle of $\triangle ABM$ meet $AM$ at $P$ and the incircle of $\triangle BCM$ meet $CM$ at $Q$ . Then note that $I_1 P Q I_2$ is a rectangle. Also, $\angle I_1 M I_2$ is right because $MI_1$ and $MI_2$ are the angle bisectors of $\angle AMB$ and $\angle CMB$ respectively and $\angle AMB + \angle CMB = 180^\circ$ . By properties of tangents to circles $MP = (MA + MB - AB)/2 = x + y - 6$ and $MQ = (MB + MC - BC)/2 = - x + y + 1$ . Now notice that the altitude of $M$ to $I_1 I_2$ is of length $r$ , so by similar triangles we find that $r^2 = MP \cdot MQ = (x + y - 6)( - x + y + 1)$ (3). Equating (3) with (1) and (2) separately yields

$2y^2 - 30 = 2xy + 5x - 7y \\ 2y^2 - 70 = - 2xy - 5x + 7y,$

and adding these we have

$4y^2 - 100 = 0\implies y = 5\implies x = 11/3 \\ \implies AM/MC = (22/3)/(15 - 22/3) = 22/23 \implies \boxed{045}.$

Solution 3

Let the incircle of $ABM$ hit $AM$ , $AB$ , $BM$ at $X_{1},Y_{1},Z_{1}$ , and let the incircle of $CBM$ hit $MC$ , $BC$ , $BM$ at $X_{2},Y_{2},Z_{2}$ . Draw the incircle of $ABC$ , and let it be tangent to $AC$ at $X$ . Observe that we have a homothety centered at A sending the incircle of $ABM$ to that of $ABC$ , and one centered at $C$ taking the incircle of $BCM$ to that of $ABC$ . These have the same power, since they take incircles of the same size to the same circle. Also, the power of the homothety is $AX_{1}/AX=CX_{2}/CX$ .

By standard computations, $AX=\dfrac{AB+AC-BC}{2}=7$ and $CX=\dfrac{BC+AC-AB}{2}=8$ . Now, let $AX_{1}=7x$ and $CX_{2}=8x$ . We will now go around and chase lengths. Observe that $BY_{1}=BA-AY_{1}=BA-AX_{1}=12-7x$ . Then, $BZ_{1}=12-7x$ . We also have $CY_{2}=CX_{2}=8x$ , so $BY_{2}=13-8x$ and $BZ_{2}=13-8x$ .

Observe now that $X_{1}M+MX_{2}=AC-15x=15(1-x)$ . Also, $X_{1}M-MX_{2}=MZ_{1}-MZ_{2}=BZ_{2}-BZ_{1}=BY_{2}-BY_{1}=(1-x)$ . Solving, we get $X_{1}M=8-8x$ and $MX_{2}=7-7x$ (as a side note, note that $AX_{1}+MX_{2}=X_{1}M+X_{2}C$ , a result that I actually believe appears in Mandelbrot 1995-2003, or some book in that time-range).

Now, we get $BM=BZ_{2}+Z_{2}M=BZ_{2}+MX_{2}=20-15x$ . To finish, we will compute area ratios. $\dfrac{[ABM]}{[CBM]}=\dfrac{AM}{MC}=\dfrac{8-x}{7+x}$ . Also, since their inradii are equal, we get $\dfrac{[ABM]}{[CBM]}=\dfrac{40-16x}{40-14x}$ . Equating and cross multiplying yields the quadratic $3x^{2}-8x+4=0$ , so $x=2/3,2$ . However, observe that $AX_{1}+CX_{2}=15x<15$ , so we take $x=2/3$ . Our ratio is therefore $\dfrac{8-2/3}{7+2/3}=\dfrac{22}{23}$ , giving the answer $\boxed{045}$ .

Solution 4

Suppose the incircle of $ABM$ touches $AM$ at $X$ , and the incircle of $CBM$ touches $CM$ at $Y$ . Then

$r = AX \tan(A/2) = CY \tan(C/2)$

We have $\cos A = \frac{12^2+15^2-13^2}{2\cdot 12\cdot 15} = \frac{200}{30\cdot 12}=\frac{5}{9}$ , $\tan(A/2) = \sqrt{\frac{1-\cos A}{1+\cos A}} = \sqrt{\frac{9-5}{9+5}} = \frac{2}{\sqrt{14}}$

$\cos C = \frac{13^2+15^2-12^2}{2\cdot 13\cdot 15} = \frac{250}{30\cdot 13} = \frac{25}{39}$ , $\tan(C/2) = \sqrt{\frac{39-25}{39+25}}=\frac{\sqrt{14}}{8}$ ,

Therefore $AX/CY = \tan(C/2)/\tan(A/2) = \frac{14}{2\cdot 8}= \frac{7}{8}.$

And since $AX=\frac{1}{2}(12+AM-BM)$ , $CY = \frac{1}{2}(13+CM-BM)$ ,

$\frac{12+AM-BM}{13+CM-BM} = \frac{7}{8}$

$96+8AM-8BM = 91 +7CM-7BM$

$BM= 5 + 8AM-7CM = 5 + 15AM - 7(CM+AM) = 5+15(AM-7) \dots\dots (1)$

Now,

$\frac{AM}{CM} = \frac{[ABM]}{[CBM]} = \frac{\frac{1}{2}(12+AM+BM)r}{\frac{1}{2}(13+CM+BM)r}=\frac{12+AM+BM}{13+CM+BM}= \frac{12+BM}{13+BM} = \frac{17+15(AM-7)}{18+15(AM-7)}$

$\frac{AM}{15} = \frac{17+15(AM-7)}{35+30(AM-7)} = \frac{15AM-88}{30AM-175}$ $6AM^2 - 35AM = 45AM-264$ $3AM^2 -40AM+132=0$ $(3AM-22)(AM-6)=0$

So $AM=22/3$ or $6$ . But from (1) we know that $5+15(AM-7)>0$ , or $AM>7-1/3>6$ , so $AM=22/3$ , $CM=15-22/3=23/3$ , $AM/CM=22/23$ .

Sidenote In the problem, $BM=10$ and the equal inradius of the two triangles happens to be $2(sqrt14)/3$

2010 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
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