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Euclidean Geometry
Solutions

  1. The area of quadrilateral ABCD is the sum of the areas of ABC and ACD.

    Since ABC is right-angled at B, its area equals 12(AB)(BC)=12(3)(4)=6.

    Since ABC is right-angled at B, by the Pythagorean Theorem, AC=AB2+BC2=32+42=25=5 because AC>0. (We could have also observed that ABC must be a "3-4-5" triangle.)

    Since ACD is right-angled at A, by the Pythagorean Theorem, AD=CD2AC2=13252=144=12 because AD>0. (We could have also observed that ACD must be a "5-12-13" triangle.)

    Thus, the area of ACD equals 12(AC)(AD)=12(5)(12)=30. Finally, the area of quadrilateral ABCD is thus 6+30=36.

  2. Solution 1

    Suppose that the rectangular prism has dimensions a cm by b cm by c cm.

    Suppose further that one of the faces that is a cm by b cm is the face with area 27 cm2 and that one of the faces that is a cm by c cm is the face with area 32 cm2. (Since every pair of non-congruent faces shares exactly one side length, there is no loss of generality in picking these particular variables for these faces.) Therefore, ab=27 and ac=32.

    Further, we are told that the volume of the prism is 144 cm3, and so abc=144.

    Thus, bc=a2b2c2a2bc=(abc)2(ab)(ac)=1442(27)(32)=24. (We could also note that abc=144 means a2b2c2=1442 or (ab)(ac)(bc)=1442 and so bc=1442(27)(32).)

    In other words, the third type of face of the prism has area 24 cm2.

    Thus, since the prism has two faces of each type, the surface area of the prism is equal to 2(27 cm2+32 cm2+24 cm2) or 166 cm2.

    Solution 2

    Suppose that the rectangular prism has dimensions a cm by b cm by c cm.

    Suppose further that one of the faces that is a cm by b cm is the face with area 27 cm2 and that one of the faces that is a cm by c cm is the face with area 32 cm2. (Since every pair of non-congruent faces shares exactly one side length, there is no loss of generality in picking these particular variables for these faces.) Therefore, ab=27 and ac=32.

    Further, we are told that the volume of the prism is 144 cm3, and so abc=144.

    Since abc=144 and ab=27, we have c=14427=163.

    Since abc=144 and ac=32, we have b=14432=92.

    This means that bc=16392=24.

    In cm2, the surface area of the prism equals 2ab+2ac+2bc=2(27)+2(32)+2(24)=166.

    Thus, the surface area of the prism is 166 cm2.

  3. Let the radius of the smaller circle be r cm and let the radius of the larger circle be R cm.

    Thus, the circumference of the smaller circle is 2πr cm, the circumference of the larger circle is 2πR cm, the area of the smaller circle is πr2 cm2, and the area of the larger circle is πR2 cm2.

    Since the sum of the radii of the two circles is 10 cm, we have r+R=10.

    Since the circumference of the larger circle is 3 cm larger than the circumference of the smaller circle, it follows that 2πR2πr=3, or 2π(Rr)=3.

    Then the difference, in cm2, between the area of the larger circle and the area of the smaller circle is πR2πr2=π(Rr)(R+r)=12[2π(Rr)](R+r)=12(3)(10)=15 Therefore, the difference between the areas is 15 cm2.

  4. Since ABC is a quarter of a circular pizza with centre A and radius 20 cm, we have AC=AB=20 cm. We are also told that CAB=90° (one-quarter of 360°).

    Since CAB=90° and A, B and C are all on the circumference of the circle, it follows that CB is a diameter of the pan. (This is a property of circles: if X, Y and Z are three points on a circle with ZXY=90°, then YZ must be a diameter of the circle.)

    Since CAB is a right-angled isosceles triangle, we have CB=2AC=202 cm. Therefore, the radius of the circular plate is 12CB or 102 cm. Thus, the area of the circular pan is π(102 cm)2=200π cm2.

    The area of the slice of pizza is one-quarter of the area of a circle with radius 20 cm, or 14π(20 cm)2=100π cm2.

    Finally, the fraction of the pan that is covered is the area of the slice of pizza divided by the area of the pan, or 100π cm2200π cm2=12.

  5. Solution 1

    Since AFD is right-angled at F, by the Pythagorean Theorem, AD=AF2+FD2=42+22=20=25 since AD>0.

    Let FAD=β. Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BAF=90°β.

    Since AFD is right-angled at F, we have ADF=90°β.

    Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BDC=90°(90°β)=β.

    Therefore, BFA, AFD, and DFE are all similar as each is right-angled and has either an angle of β or an angle of 90°β (and hence both of these angles).
    Therefore, ABAF=DADF and so AB=4(25)2=45.

    Also, FEFD=FDFA and so FE=2(2)4=1.

    Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BC=AD=25, and DC=AB=45.

    Finally, the area of quadrilateral BCEF equals the area of DCB minus the area DFE. Thus, the required area is 12(DC)(CB)12(DF)(FE)=12(45)(25)12(2)(1)=201=19

    Solution 2

    Since AFD is right-angled at F, by the Pythagorean Theorem, AD=AF2+FD2=42+22=20=25 since AD>0.

    Let FAD=β. Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BAF=90°β. Since BAF is right-angled at F, we have ABF=β.

    Since AFD is right-angled at F, we have ADF=90°β.

    Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BDC=90°(90°β)=β.

    Looking at AFD, we see that sinβ=FDAD=225=15, cosβ=AFAD=425=25, and tanβ=FDAF=24=12.

    Since AF=4 and ABF=β, we have AB=AFsinβ=415=45.

    Since FD=2 and FDE=β, we have FE=FDtanβ=212=1.

    Since ABCD is a rectangle, we have BC=AD=25, and DC=AB=45.

    Finally, the area of quadrilateral EFBC equals the area of DCB minus the area DFE. Thus, the required area is 12(DC)(CB)12(DF)(FE)=12(45)(25)12(2)(1)=201=19

  6. Join BE.

    Since FBD is congruent to AEC, we have FB=AE.

    Since FAB and AFE are each right-angled, share a common side AF and have equal hypotenuses (FB=AE), it follows that these triangles are congruent, and so AB=FE.

    Now BAFE has two right angles at A and F (so AB and FE are parallel) and has equal sides AB=FE so must be a rectangle. This means that BCDE is also a rectangle.

    Now the diagonals of a rectangle partition it into four triangles of equal area. (Diagonal AE of the rectangle splits the rectangle into two congruent triangles, which have equal area. The diagonals bisect each other, so the four smaller triangles all have equal area.)

    Since one quarter of rectangle ABEF is shaded and one quarter of rectangle BCDE is shaded, it follows that one quarter of the total area is shaded. (If the area of ABEF is x and the area of BCDE is y, then the total shaded area is 14x+14y, which is one quarter of the total area x+y.)

    Since AC=200 and CD=50, the area of rectangle ACDF is 200(50)=10000, so the total shaded area is 14(10000)=2500.

  7. Suppose that M is the midpoint of YZ. Suppose that the centre of the smaller circle is O and the centre of the larger circle is P. Suppose that the smaller circle touches XY at C and XZ at D, and that the larger circle touches XY at E and XZ at F. Join OC, OD and PE.

    Since OC and PE are radii that join the centres of circles to points of tangency, it follows that OC and PE are perpendicular to XY.

    Construct XM. Since XYZ is isosceles, XM (which is a median by construction) is an altitude (that is, XM is perpendicular to YZ) and an angle bisector (that is, MXY=MXZ).

    Now XM passes through O and P. (Since XC and XD are tangents from X to the same circle, we have XC=XD. This means that XCO is congruent to XDO by side-side-side. This means that OXC=OXD and so O lies on the angle bisector of CXD, and so O lies on XM. Using a similar argument, P lies on XM.)
    Draw a perpendicular from O to T on PE. Note that OT is parallel to XY (since each is perpendicular to PE) and that OCET is a rectangle (since it has three right angles).

    Consider XMY and OTP. Each triangle is right-angled (at M and at T, respectively). Also, YXM=POT. (This is because OT is parallel to XY, since both are perpendicular to PE.) Therefore, XMY is similar to OTP. Thus, XYYM=OPPT.

    Now XY=a and YM=12b. Also, OP is the line segment joining the centres of two tangent circles, so OP=r+R.

    Lastly, PT=PEET=Rr, since PE=R, ET=OC=r, and OCET is a rectangle. Therefore, ab/2=R+rRr2ab=R+rRr2a(Rr)=b(R+r)2aRbR=2ar+brR(2ab)=r(2a+b)Rr=2a+b2ab(since 2a>b we have 2ab0, and r>0) Therefore, Rr=2a+b2ab.

  8. Let PEQ=θ. Join P to B.

    We use the fact that the angle between a tangent to a circle and a chord in that circle that passes through the point of tangency equals the angle inscribed by that chord. We prove this fact below.

    More concretely, DEP=PBE (using the chord EP and the tangent through E) and ABP=PEQ=θ (using the chord BP and the tangent through B).

    Now DEP is exterior to FEP and so DEP=FPE+EFP=25°+30°, and so PBE=DEP=55°. Furthermore, AQB is an exterior angle of PQE. Thus, AQB=QPE+PEQ=25°+θ.

    In ABQ, we have BAQ=35°, ABQ=θ+55°, and AQB=25°+θ.

    Thus, 35°+(θ+55°)+(25°+θ)=180° or 115°+2θ=180°, and so 2θ=65°. Therefore PEQ=θ=12(65°)=32.5°.

    As an addendum, we prove that the angle between a tangent to a circle and a chord in that circle that passes through the point of tangency equals the angle inscribed by that chord.

    Consider a circle with centre O and a chord XY, with tangent ZX meeting the circle at X. We prove that if ZX is tangent to the circle, then ZXY equals XWY whenever W is a point on the circle on the opposite side of XY as XZ (that is, the angle subtended by XY on the opposite side of the circle).
    We prove this in the case that ZXY is acute. The cases where ZXY is a right angle or an obtuse angle are similar.
    Draw diameter XOV and join VY.

    Since ZXY is acute, points V and W are on the same arc of chord XY. This means that XVY=XWY, since they are angles subtended by the same chord.

    Since OX is a radius and XZ is a tangent, it follows that OXZ=90°. Therefore, we have OXY+ZXY=90°.

    Since XV is a diameter, we have XYV=90°.

    From XYV, we see that XVY+VXY=90°.

    But OXY+ZXY=90° and XVY+VXY=90° and OXY=VXY tells us that ZXY=XVY. This gives us that ZXY=XWY, as required.

  9. Solution 1

    Draw a line segment through M in the plane of PMN parallel to PN and extend this line until it reaches the plane through P, A and D at Q on one side and the plane through N, B and C at R on the other side.

    Join Q to P and A. Join R to N and B.

    So the volume of solid ABCDPMN equals the volume of solid ABCDPQRN minus the volumes of solids PMQA and NMRB.

    Solid ABCDPQRN is a trapezoidal prism. This is because NR and BC are parallel (since they lie in parallel planes), which makes NRBC a trapezoid. Similarly, PQAD is a trapezoid. Also, PN, QR, DC, and AB are all perpendicular to the planes of these trapezoids and equal in length, since they equal the side lengths of the squares.

    Solids PMQA and NMRB are triangular-based pyramids. We can think of their bases as being PMQ and NMR. Their heights are each equal to 2, the height of the original solid. (The volume of a triangular-based pyramid equals 13 times the area of its base times its height.)

    The volume of ABCDPQRN equals the area of trapezoid NRBC times the width of the prism, which is 2.

    That is, this volume equals 12(NR+BC)(NC)(NP)=12(NR+2)(2)(2)=2NR+4.

    So we need to find the length of NR.

    Consider quadrilateral PNRQ. This quadrilateral is a rectangle since PN and QR are perpendicular to the two side planes of the original solid. Thus, NR equals the height of PMN.

    Join M to the midpoint T of PN. Since PMN is isosceles, MT is perpendicular to PN.

    Since NT=12PN=1 and PMN=90° and TNM=45°, it follows that MTN is also right-angled and isosceles with MT=TN=1.

    Therefore, NR=MT=1 and so the volume of ABCDPQRN is 21+4=6.

    The volumes of solids PMQA and NMRB are equal. Each has height 2 and their bases PMQ and NMR are congruent, because each is right-angled (at Q and at R) with PQ=NR=1 and QM=MR=1.

    Thus, using the formula above, the volume of each is 13(12(1)(1))2=13.

    Finally, the volume of the original solid equals 6213=163.

    Solution 2

    We determine the volume of ABCDPMN by splitting it into two solids: ABCDPN and ABNPM by slicing along the plane of ABNP.

    Solid ABCDPN is a triangular prism, since BCN and ADP are each right-angled (at C and D), BC=CN=AD=DP=2, and segments PN, DC and AB are perpendicular to each of the triangular faces and equal in length.

    Thus, the volume of ABCDPN equals the area of BCN times the length of DC. Therefore, 12(BC)(CN)(DC)=12(2)(2)(2)=4. (This solid can also be viewed as "half" of a cube.)

    Solid ABNPM is a pyramid with rectangular base ABNP. (Note that PN and AB are perpendicular to the planes of both of the side triangular faces of the original solid, that PN=AB=2 and BN=AP=22+22=22, by the Pythagorean Theorem.)

    Therefore, the volume of ABNPM equals 13(AB)(BN)h=423h, where h is the height of the pyramid (that is, the distance that M is above plane ABNP).

    So we need to calculate h.

    Join M to the midpoint, T, of PN and to the midpoint, S, of AB. Join S and T.

    By symmetry, M lies directly above ST. Since ABNP is a rectangle and S and T are the midpoints of opposite sides, we have ST=AP=22.
    Since PMN is right-angled and isosceles, MT is perpendicular to PN. Since NT=12PN=1 and TNM=45°, it follows that MTN is also right-angled and isosceles with MT=TN=1.

    Also, MS is the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by dropping a perpendicular from M to U in the plane of ABCD (a distance of 2) and joining U to S.

    Since M is 1 unit horizontally from PN, we have US=1.
    Thus, MS=22+12=5 by the Pythagorean Theorem.

    We can now consider SMT. h is the height of this triangle, from M to base ST.

    Triangle SMT with base ST, height h, and side MT of length 1.

    Now h=MTsin(MTS)=sin(MTS).

    By the cosine law in SMT, we have MS2=ST2+MT22(ST)(MT)cos(MTS) Therefore, 5=8+142cos(MTS) or 42cos(MTS)=4.

    Thus, cos(MTS)=12 and so MTS=45° which gives h=sin(MTS)=12.

    (Alternatively, we note that the plane of ABCD is parallel to the plane of PMN, and so since the angle between plane ABCD and plane PNBA is 45°, it follows that the angle between plane PNBA and plane PMN is also 45°, and so MTS=45°.)

    Finally, this means that the volume of ABNPM is 42312=43, and so the volume of solid ABCDPMN is 4+43=163.

  10. Let EAF=θ. Since ABCD is a parallelogram, AB and DC are parallel with AB=DC, and DA and CB are parallel with DA=CB.

    Since AE is perpendicular to DC and AB and DC are parallel, it follows that AE is perpendicular to AB. In other words, EAB=90°, and so FAB=90°θ.

    Since AFB is right-angled at F and FAB=90°θ, we have ABF=θ.

    Using similar arguments, we obtain that DAE=90°θ and ADE=θ.

    Since cos(EAF)=cosθ=13 and cos2θ+sin2θ=1, we have sinθ=1cos2θ=119=89=223 (Note that sinθ>0 since θ is an angle in a triangle.)

    In AFB, sinθ=AFAB and cosθ=FBAB.

    Since AF=32 and sinθ=223, we have AB=AFsinθ=3222/3=482=242.

    Since AB=242 and cosθ=13, we have FB=ABcosθ=242(13)=82.

    In AED, sinθ=AEAD and cosθ=DEAD.

    Since AE=20 and sinθ=223, we have AD=AEsinθ=2022/3=302=152.

    Since AD=152 and cosθ=13, we have DE=ADcosθ=152(13)=52. (To calculate AD and DE, we could also have used the fact that ADE is similar to ABF.)

    Finally, the area of quadrilateral AECF equals the area of parallelogram ABCD minus the combined areas of AFB and ADE.

    The area of parallelogram ABCD equals ABAE=24220=4802.

    The area of AFB equals 12(AF)(FB)=12(32)(82)=1282.

    The area of AED equals 12(AE)(DE)=12(20)(52)=502.

    Thus, the area of quadrilateral AECF is 48021282502=3022.

  11. Solution 1

    Consider BCE and ACD.

    Since ABC is equilateral, we have BC=AC. Since ECD is equilateral, we have that CE=CD.

    Since BCD is a straight line and ECD=60°, we have BCE=180°ECD=120°.

    Since BCD is a straight line and BCA=60°, we have ACD=180°BCA=120°.

    Therefore, BCE is congruent to ACD ("side-angle-side").

    Since BCE and ACD are congruent and CM and CN are line segments drawn from the corresponding vertex (C in both triangles) to the midpoint of the opposite side, we have CM=CN.

    Since ECD=60°, ACD can be obtained by rotating BCE through an angle of 60° clockwise about C. This means that after this 60° rotation, CM coincides with CN. In other words, MCN=60°.

    But since CM=CN and MCN=60°, we have CMN=CNM=12(180°MCN)=60° Therefore, MNC is equilateral, as required.

    Solution 2

    We prove that MNC is equilateral by introducing a coordinate system.

    Suppose that C is at the origin (0,0) with BCD along the x-axis, with B having coordinates (4b,0) and D having coordinates (4d,0) for some real numbers b,d>0.

    Drop a perpendicular from E to P on CD.

    Since ECD is equilateral, P is the midpoint of CD.

    Since C has coordinates (0,0) and D has coordinates (4d,0), it follows that the coordinates of P are (2d,0).

    Since ECD is equilateral, we have ECD=60° and so EPC is a 30°-60°-90° triangle and so EP=3CP=23d.

    Therefore, the coordinates of E are (2d,23d).

    In a similar way, we can show that the coordinates of A are (2b,23b).

    Now M is the midpoint of B(4b,0) and E(2d,23d), and therefore, the coordinates of M are (12(4b+2d),12(0+23d)) or (2b+d,3d).

    Also, N is the midpoint of A(2b,23b) and D(4d,0), and therefore, the coordinates of N are (12(2b+4d),12(23b+0)) or (b+2d,3b).

    To show that MNC is equilateral, we show that CM=CN=MN or equivalently that CM2=CN2=MN2: CM2=(2b+d0)2+(3d0)2=(2b+d)2+(3d)2=4b24bd+d2+3d2=4b24bd+4d2CN2=(b+2d0)2+(3b0)2=(b+2d)2+(3b)2=b24bd+4d2+3b2=4b24bd+4d2MN2=((2b+d)(b+2d))2+(3d3b)2=(bd)2+3(db)2=b2+2bd+d2+3d26bd+3b2=4b24bd+4d2 Therefore, CM2=CN2=MN2 and so MNC is equilateral, as required.

  12. Since PQ is parallel to AB, it is parallel to DC and is perpendicular to BC.

    Drop perpendiculars from A to E on PQ and from P to F on DC.

    Then ABQE and PQCF are rectangles. Thus, EQ=x, which means that PE=rx and FC=r, which means that DF=yr.

    Let BQ=b and QC=c. Thus, AE=b and PF=c.

    The area of trapezoid ABQP is 12(x+r)b.

    The area of trapezoid PQCD is 12(r+y)c.

    Since these areas are equal, we have 12(x+r)b=12(r+y)c, which gives x+rr+y=cb.

    Since AE is parallel to PF, we have PAE=DPF and AEP is similar to PFD.

    Thus, AEPE=PFDF which gives brx=cyr or cb=yrrx.

    Combining x+rr+y=cb and cb=yrrx gives x+rr+y=yrrx or (x+r)(rx)=(r+y)(yr).

    From this, we get r2x2=y2r2 or 2r2=x2+y2, as required.

  13. Suppose that the parallel line segments EF and WX are a distance of x apart.

    This means that the height of trapezoid EFXW is x.

    Since the side length of square EFGH is 10 and the side length of square WXYZ is 6, it follows that the distance between parallel line segments ZY and HG is 106x or 4x.

    Recall that the area of a trapezoid equals one-half times its height times the sum of the lengths of the parallel sides.

    Thus, the area of trapezoid EFXW is 12x(EF+WX)=12x(10+6)=8x.

    Also, the area of trapezoid GHZY is 12(4x)(HG+ZY)=12(4x)(10+6)=328x.

    Therefore, the sum of the areas of trapezoids EFXW and GHZY is 8x+(328x)=32.

    This sum is a constant and does not depend on the position of the inner square within the outer square, as required.