An Inscribed Hexagon

Geometry Level 3

An inscribed Hexagon has sides A F = F E = E D = 4 AF = FE = ED = 4 , A B = B C = C D = 2 AB = BC = CD = 2 . Furthermore, A D E F ADEF and A D C B ADCB are trapeziums.

If the length of chord A D AD is m n \frac{ m}{n} , where m m and n n are relatively prime integers, find m + n m + n .


The answer is 43.

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5 solutions

Referring to the diagram, and letting the center be O O , let A O B = 2 α \angle AOB = 2\alpha and A O F = 2 β \angle AOF = 2\beta .

Now by symmetry 2 α + 2 β = 2 π 3 2\alpha + 2\beta = \frac{2\pi}{3} . By the Cosine Law we then have that

( B F ) 2 = 2 2 + 4 2 2 2 4 cos ( 2 π 3 ) B F = 2 7 (BF)^{2} = 2^{2} + 4^{2} - 2*2*4*\cos(\frac{2\pi}{3}) \Longrightarrow BF = 2\sqrt{7} .

Next, note that A F B = 1 2 A O B = α \angle AFB = \frac{1}{2} \angle AOB = \alpha and A B F = 1 2 A O F = β \angle ABF = \frac{1}{2} \angle AOF = \beta . So, using the Sine Law on Δ A B F \Delta ABF we find that sin ( α ) = 21 14 \sin(\alpha) = \frac{\sqrt{21}}{14} and sin ( β ) = 21 7 \sin(\beta) = \frac{\sqrt{21}}{7} .

Now, we see that A F D = 1 2 A O D = 3 α \angle AFD = \frac{1}{2} \angle AOD = 3\alpha and A D F = 1 2 A O F = β \angle ADF = \frac{1}{2} \angle AOF = \beta . So using the Sine Law on Δ A D F \Delta ADF we have that

s i n ( β ) 4 = sin ( 3 α ) A D A D = 4 sin ( 3 α ) sin ( β ) \frac{sin(\beta)}{4} = \frac{\sin(3\alpha)}{AD} \Longrightarrow AD = \frac{4\sin(3\alpha)}{\sin(\beta)} .

Now sin ( 3 α ) = 3 sin ( α ) 4 sin 3 ( α ) = 9 21 49 \sin(3\alpha) = 3\sin(\alpha) - 4\sin^{3}(\alpha) = \frac{9\sqrt{21}}{49} ,

and so A D = 36 21 49 21 7 = 36 7 AD = \dfrac{\frac{36\sqrt{21}}{49}}{\frac{\sqrt{21}}{7}} = \dfrac{36}{7} .

Thus m + n = 36 + 7 = 43 m + n = 36 + 7 = \boxed{43} .

Brian, why is <AFD = 1/2 <AOB ? Question Question

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 6 months ago

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Hi, Guiseppi. A F B = 1 2 A O B \angle AFB = \frac{1}{2} \angle AOB by the inscribed angle theorem . This theorem was indispensable in solving this problem, (at least the way I went about it).

Great question, by the way. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 6 months ago

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Check my new problem for a "reality" vindication of that theorem.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 6 months ago

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@Guiseppi Butel Yes, I solved your new problem yesterday as soon as I saw it. It must have been tricky to find all those (large) integer coordinates. :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 6 months ago

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@Brian Charlesworth Not really, Brian. I just read them off the monitor. I had to figure how to calculate the angles. I used slopes.

Is that the way you did it?

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 6 months ago

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@Guiseppi Butel I used the inscribed angle theorem and the Cosine Law, and I calculated the lengths of the sides using the distance formula. I will post a solution tomorrow when my eyes are fresh.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 6 months ago

why does 1/2∠AOD=3α

Ellie Parton - 1 year, 8 months ago

Let F E D C = M , E D B C = N , A B E D = L . FE \cap DC = M, ED \cap BC = N, AB \cap ED = L.

Let L N = y LN = y and B L = z BL = z

Let E M = a , M D = b EM = a, MD = b

By the Power of a Point, we have

a ( a + 4 ) = b ( b + 2 ) a(a+4) = b(b+2) \hspace{35pt} ( 1 ) (1)

Notice that Δ E D M Δ N C D . \Delta EDM \sim \Delta NCD.

So we can have

D N = 8 a , C N = 2 b a DN = \dfrac{8}{a}, CN = \dfrac{2b}{a}

By the Power of a Point, we have

8 a ( 8 a + 4 ) = 2 b a ( 2 b a + 2 ) \dfrac{8}{a}(\dfrac{8}{a} + 4) = \dfrac{2b}{a}(\dfrac{2b}{a} + 2) \hspace{35pt} ( 2 ) (2)

Solving for a a and b b we get

a = 32 5 a = \dfrac{32}{5} and b = 28 5 b = \dfrac{28}{5}

So B N = 15 4 BN = \dfrac{15}{4} and D N = 5 4 DN = \dfrac{5}{4}

Notice that Δ A D L Δ B N L . \Delta ADL \sim \Delta BNL.

So we have z z + 2 = y y + 5 4 \dfrac{z}{z+2} = \dfrac{y}{y+\dfrac{5}{4}} \hspace{35pt} ( 3 ) (3)

Also by the Power of a Point, we have

( y + 5 4 ) ( y + 21 4 ) = z ( z + 2 ) (y+ \dfrac{5}{4})(y+ \dfrac{21}{4}) = z(z+2) \hspace{35pt} ( 4 ) (4)

Solving for y y and z z we get

y = 175 52 y = \dfrac{175}{52} and x = 70 13 x = \dfrac{70}{13}

We then achieve A D = 36 7 AD = \dfrac{36}{7}

36 + 7 = 43 \therefore 36 + 7 = \boxed{43} .

I appologize if my latex is not that good.

Hans Gabriel Daduya - 3 years, 3 months ago

Also I would like to add that the process of solving the systems of equations was not shown here. I guess I'll leave it to the readers to solve it for themselves.

Hans Gabriel Daduya - 3 years, 3 months ago

Length of the chord shared by two trapeziums each having three equal sides a a & b b & being inscribed in a circle is given by the following general formula

A D = 3 a b ( a + b ) a 2 + b 2 + a b \boxed{AD=\frac{3ab(a+b)}{a^2+b^2+ab}}

As per question, setting a = 2 a=2 & b = 4 b=4 in above general formula we get

A D = 3 2 4 ( 2 + 4 ) 2 2 + 4 2 + 2 4 = 36 7 = m n AD=\frac{3\cdot 2\cdot 4(2+4)}{2^2+4^2+2\cdot 4}=\frac{36}{7}=\frac mn

m + n = 36 + 7 = 43 \therefore m+n=36+7=43

L e t 2 α b e t h e s u b t e n d e d b y t h e 4 u n i t s i d e a t t h e c e n t e r a n d 2 β b y 2 u n i t . W i t h R c i r c u m r a d i u s R S i n α = 4 a n d R S i n β = 2 , w e h a v e 6 α + 6 β = 360 α + β = 60. R S i n α R S i n β = 4 2 . S i n α S i n ( 60 α ) = 2. S o l v i n g C o t α = 2 3 C o s 2 α = 1 7 . AD=Projection of AF on AD+ Projection of FE on AD+ Projection of ED on AD. \ A D = 4 S i n { 180 2 α 90 } + 4 + 4 S i n { 180 2 α 90 } . A D = 4 ( 1 + 2 C o s 2 α ) = 36 7 = m n . m + n = 43 Let ~2\alpha ~be ~the ~\angle ~subtended ~by ~the ~4 ~unit ~side~at ~the ~center\\ and ~2\beta ~by ~2 ~unit.\\ With ~R ~ circumradius ~~~~ RSin\alpha=4 ~~ and~ ~ RSin\beta=2,\\ we ~have ~~~6\alpha+6\beta=360 ~~ \implies ~\alpha+\beta=60.\\ \therefore ~ \dfrac{RSin\alpha}{RSin\beta} =\dfrac 4 2.\\ \implies ~\dfrac{Sin\alpha}{Sin(60-\alpha)}=2.\\ Solving ~Cot\alpha=\dfrac2{\sqrt3} ~~\implies ~\color{#3D99F6}{Cos2\alpha=\dfrac 1 7}. \\ \text{AD=Projection of AF on AD+ Projection of FE on AD+ Projection of ED on AD.}\\\ AD=4Sin\{180-2\alpha-90\}+4+ 4Sin\{180-2\alpha-90\}.\\ AD=4(1+2\color{#3D99F6}{Cos2\alpha}) = \dfrac{36} 7=\dfrac m n.\\ m+n= ~~~~\Huge \color{#D61F06}{43}

Edwin Gray
Jun 29, 2018

Let O be the center of the circle and r the radius. Let 2t be the central angle subtended by the chord lengths of 4. Then sin(t) = 2/r. <AOF = <FOE = <EOD = 2t, so < AOD = 360 - 6t. Then <AOB = <BOC = <COD = 120 - 2t. In triangle AOB, by the Law of Cosines, 4 = 2r^2 - 2r^2 cos(120 - 2t).Cos(120 - 2t) = [sqrt(3)/2] sin(2t) - (1/2) cos(2t). Substituting r =2/sin(t), and simplifying, we derive cos^2(t) = 4/7. From triangle AOD, by the law of cosines, (AD)^2 = 2r^2(1 - cos(6t)). cos(t) = sqrt(4/7) = .755928946, t = 40.89339465, 6t = 245.3603679, cos(6t) = -.416909621. Substituting, (AD)^2 = (56/3) (1.416909621) = 26.44897959, AD = 5.14285714.... . We recognize the decimal part as 1/7. So AD = 36/7, ang m + n = 43. Ed Gray

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