Geotrig problem-1

Geometry Level 3

For each natural number k k , let C k C_k denotes the circle with a radius of k k and center at the origin. Starting at ( 1 , 0 ) (1,0) , a particle moves on C 1 C_1 for a distance of 1 1 in the counterclockwise direction. Then it moves radially to C 2 C_2 where it moves counterclockwise for 2 2 , and continuously to C k C_k where it moves for k k and so on. If the particle crosses the positive direction of the x x -axis for the first time on C n C_n , find n n .


The answer is 7.

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2 solutions

Chew-Seong Cheong
Feb 26, 2020

Note that the angular displacement on circle C k C_k is θ k = k 2 π k × 2 π = 1 \theta_k = \dfrac k{2\pi k}\times 2\pi = 1 , which is independent of k k . If Θ n \Theta_n is the sum of all angular displacements from C 1 C_1 through C n C_n or Θ n = k = 1 n θ k = n \displaystyle \Theta_n = \sum_{k=1}^n \theta_k = n . When the particle crosses the x x -axis for the first time, Θ n = n > 2 π 6.282 n = 7 \Theta_n = n > 2\pi \approx 6.282 \implies n = \boxed 7 .

Chris Lewis
Feb 26, 2020

The particle moves through an angle of 1 1 radian on each circle; it will cross the positive x x -axis when the total angle moved reaches 2 π = 6.28 2\pi=6.28\ldots radians, ie on the 7 t h \boxed{7^{th}} circle.

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