Geometry Solutions PDF
Geometry Solutions PDF
Geometry Solutions PDF
1. The coordinates of three vertices of a parallelogram are A(1, 1), B(2, 4), and C(5, 1). Compute
the area of the parallelogram.
Answer: 18
Solution: Note that the area of the parallelogram is double the area of triangle ABC. If we
take AC as the base of the triangle, the height is 3, so the area is 36
2 = 9. Thus, the area of the
parallelogram is 18 .
2. In a circle, chord AB has length 5 and chord AC has length 7. Arc AC is twice the length of
arc AB, and both arcs have degree less than 180. Compute the area of the circle.
Answer:
625
51
_
Solution: Draw B between A and C. Because AC= 2 AB, BC = 5 too. Let M be the
midpoint of AC. Then
s
2
51
7
BM = 52
.
=
2
2
Drawing a radius to A and applying the Pythagorean Theorem,
!2
2
7
51
25
r2 =
+
r
= r =
2
2
51
so the area is
625
.
51
3. Spencer eats ice cream in a right circular cone with an opening of radius 5 and a height of 10.
If Spencers ice cream scoops are always perfectly spherical, compute the radius of the largest
scoop he can get such that at least half of the scoop is contained within the cone.
Answer: 2 5
Solution:
Since the cone is symmetric, the points of tangency of the ice cream scoop to the cone make a
circle on the inside of the cone. Furthermore, the center of the ice creamscoop must coincide
with the center of the base of the cone. The slant height of the cone is 52 + 102 = 5 5, so
from considering similar right triangles within a cross section of the cone (see above diagram),
we get
5
r
=
= r = 2 5
10
5 5
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.
4. Let ABC be a triangle such that AB = 3, BC = 4, and AC = 5. Let X be a point in the
triangle. Compute the minimal possible value of AX 2 + BX 2 + CX 2 .
50
Answer:
3
Solution: Let the perpendicular distance from X to BC and BA be x and y, respectively. Then
AX 2 + BX 2 + CX 2 = x2 + y 2 + (3 x)2 + (4 y)2 + x2 + y 2
50
4 2
50
+ 3(x 1)2 + , which has minimum
Completing the square gives 3 y
.
3
3
3
5. Let ABC be a triangle where BAC = 30 . Construct D in 4ABC such that ABD =
ACD = 30 . Let the circumcircle of 4ABD intersect AC at X. Let the circumcircle of
4ACD intersect AB at Y . Given that DB DC = 10 and BC = 20, find AX AY .
Answer: 150
Solution: Note that ABDX and ACDY are isosceles trapezoids. Thus, AX = DB and AY =
DC. Furthermore, BDC = 360 (360 30 30 30 ) = 90 . Thus, DB 2 + DC 2 = BC 2 =
DB 2 + DC 2 (DB DC)2
400, and DB DC = 10, so AX AY = DB DC =
= 150 .
2
6. Let E be an ellipse with major axis length 4 and minor axis length 2. Inscribe an equilateral
triangle ABC in E such that A lies on the minor axis and BC is parallel to the major axis.
Compute the area of 4ABC.
Answer:
192 3
169
Solution: Consider a transformation that scales along the major axis by a factor of 12 so that
the ellipse becomes a circle of radius 1 and the equilateral triangle becomes an isoceles triangle.
Let the transformed triangle be denoted AB 0 C 0 .
0
Now, let x = |B 2C | . Then the original length |BC| = 4x and since 4ABC is equilateral,
192 3
3
3
48
2
2
2
.
4 |BC| = 4 16x . Substituting in x = 169 and simplifying, we obtain
169
7. Let ABC be a triangle with AB = 13, BC = 14, and AC = 15. Let D and E be the feet of the
altitudes from A and B, respectively. Find the circumference of the circumcircle of 4CDE.
39
Answer:
4
Solution: Let X be the intersection of AD and BE. Since CDX = CEX = 90 , CDXE
is a cyclic quadrilateral, and CX is the diameter of the circumcircle of CDE. Using the Law of
Cosines on C, we get
AB 2 = BC 2 + AC 2 2(AB)(BC)(cos C)
169 = 196 + 225 2(14)(15)(cos C)
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cos C =
Therefore 4CDA and 4CEB are similar to a 3-4-5 triangle, and so is 4XDB. Thus we have
39
CD = 9, BD = 5, and DX = 15
4 . By the Pythagorean Theorem we have CX = 4 , so the
circumference of the circumcircle is
39
d =
.
4
It is also possible to use Herons Formula to calculate the area of the triangle and then find the
lengths of the altitudes.
8. O is a circle with radius 1. A and B are fixed points on the circle such that AB = 2. Let C
be any point on the circle, and let M and N be the midpoints of AC and BC, respectively. As
C travels around circle O, find the area of the locus of points on M N .
Answer:
2
2
1
4
Solution:
We introduce some auxilliary points which will be useful for describing the solution. It may also
help to refer to the accompanying diagram. Extend AO past O to intersect the circle again at
point D, and extend BO
past O to intersect the circle again at point E. Note that ABDE is a
square of side length 2. Also let ` denote the perpendicular bisector of AB.
_ _
Consider what happens when C is on arc AE or BD. Then, segment M N does not cross `. So,
the two regions corresponding to C being on these two arcs are disjoint, so we can calculate
their individual areas and add them up.
As C moves from A to E (for
instance), M moves from A to the midpoint of AE, and hence
2
travels a total distance of 2 units. M N AE always, so this region has the same area as a
1
2.
Now we consider the other cases. Let P and Q be the midpoints of OA and OB, respectively.
We claim that as C moves around circle O, M traces out a circle of radius 21 centered at P ,
and N traces out a circle of radius 21 centered at Q. As proof, note that M P is the midline of
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So, when C lies on DE, we can see that the region covered
by M N consists of a circle segment
of angle 2 broken in the middle by a rectangle of width 22 . The height of this rectangle can be
quickly computed to be
1
2
2
4 .
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2 3
1
=
+
.
4
2
2
2
2
4
2
16
4
8
The case where C lies on AB turns out to be equivalent. Hence, in total, the desired area is
!
2 3
2 1
1+2
+
=
+
+ .
16
4
8
8
2
4
9. In cyclic quadrilateral ABCD, AB
= AD. If AC = 6 and
area of ABCD.
Answer: 5 11
AB
BD
Solution: We claim that the area of ABCD is constant, though the shape of ABCD depends
on the radius of the circumscribing circle.
First, by Ptolemys, we have
AB CD + BC AD = AB(BC + CD) = AC BD
BD
= BC + CD = AC
= 10.
AB
Now, extend CB past B to a point E such that BE
= CD. Since ABCD is cyclic, ABC and
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a diameter; thus F G = DE. Now we calculate DE. Since BE is an external angle bisector,
CE
BC
=
AE
AB
CE
BC
=
AC + CE
AB
AC BC
65
CE =
= .
AB BC
7
Since BD is an internal angle bisector,
CD
BC
=
AD
AB
CD
BC
=
AC
AB + BC
AC BC
65
CD =
= .
AB + BC
17
Thus, the answer is DE = CE + CD =
1560
.
119