Inspired by Justin Wong

Geometry Level 4

Consider a circle with radius 1 and center O O . Points A , B A, B are on the circumference such that A O B = π 3 \angle AOB = \frac{ \pi}{3} .

What is the radius of the largest circle that can be inscribed in sector A O B AOB ?


Inspiration - I misread a problem that Justin told me from his recent math competition . It used π 6 \frac{\pi}{6} , which had ugly calculations. This had a much simpler solution.


The answer is 0.333.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

Calvin Lin Staff
Jan 31, 2015

Let the 2 circles be tangential at point T T . Draw the tangent at T T , and call the line \ell . Let A , B A', B' be the intersection of \ell with O A OA and O B OB respectively.

Observe that the small circle is the incircle of the equilaterial triangle O A B O A' B ' , which has height equal to the radius of the circle, IE 1 1 . Hence, the radius of the incircle is 1 3 . \frac{1}{3}.


This only works out because the given angle is 6 0 60 ^ \circ . Otherwise, it will require more work, like in Brian's solution

NIce. That's thinking "outside the circle". :)

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 4 months ago

Where's inspiration?

Pranjal Jain - 6 years, 4 months ago

I also did the same way!!!!

Mrigank Krishan - 6 years, 4 months ago

I did the same thing.

Purushottam Abhisheikh - 6 years, 4 months ago

I got the same idea

Shanthan Kumar - 6 years, 3 months ago

Let P P be the center of the radius r r circle inscribed in sector A O B AOB , and let Q Q be the point where this circle touches O A . OA.

Then Δ P Q O \Delta PQO is right-angled at Q Q with P Q = r , P O = 1 r PQ = r, PO = 1 - r and Q O P = π 6 . \angle QOP = \frac{\pi}{6}. We then have that

sin ( Q O P ) = P Q P O 1 2 = r 1 r 1 r = 2 r r = 1 3 = 0.333 \sin(\angle QOP) = \dfrac{PQ}{PO} \Longrightarrow \dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{r}{1 - r} \Longrightarrow 1 - r = 2r \Longrightarrow r = \dfrac{1}{3} = \boxed{0.333}

to 3 3 decimal places.

There is another answer that is slightly more immediate, though based on the same idea.

I misread Justin's problem, and solved this much easier case.

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 4 months ago

Log in to reply

I'm guessing that you're thinking of drawing adjacent sectors with circles inscribed, forming an equilateral triangle using the centers of the inscribed circles and original circle as vertices, and then noting that two sides of this triangle have length 1 r 1 - r and another 2 r 2r . Thus 1 r = 2 r r = 1 3 . 1 - r = 2r \rightarrow r = \frac{1}{3}.

I'm curious what Justin's inspirational problem was; I can't find it on his page.

Brian Charlesworth - 6 years, 4 months ago

Log in to reply

Oh, it was from a math contest that he took, where the angle was given as π 6 \frac{ \pi}{6} , which is why there's no "Inspiration" link. I misread it and thought it was π 3 \frac{ \pi}{3} , which leads to this "two line" result.

Actually it's easier than that. Let me add my solution.

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 4 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...