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Geometry Level 2

A particle is on the point ( 3 , 5 ) (3,5) on the plane. It goes 10 units in the direction of positive x x -axis. Then it turns towards right making an angle of 90 degrees with its initial direction and goes ahead 5 units, Now it again takes a right turn and goes ahead 2.5 units. It keeps turning right and travels half the distance traveled in the turn just before it . This goes on without end. Find the final distance of the particle from the origin ( 0 , 0 ) (0,0) ?

The answer would come in the form square root of x x , submit your answer as x x .


The answer is 122.

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5 solutions

Kevin Klida
Apr 24, 2015

Let's look at the x x the y y separately.:

The initial x x value is 3, and because the particle only moves horizontally every other iteration and alternating positive and negative direction, the change in x x can be represented by the geometric series n = 0 10 ( 1 4 ) n \sum_{n=0}^\infty 10(\frac {-1}{4})^{n}

This series converges to 10 1 1 4 \frac {10}{1-\frac {-1}{4}} which simplifies to 8 8 , so our final x x coordinate is 3 + 8 = 11 3 + 8 = 11

The initial y y value is 5, and for the same reasons as above, the change in y y can be represented by n = 0 5 ( 1 4 ) n \sum_{n=0}^\infty -5(\frac {-1}{4})^n

This series converges to 5 1 1 4 \frac {-5}{1-\frac {-1}{4}} which simplifies to 4 -4 , so our final y y coordinate is 5 4 = 1 5 - 4 = 1

Therefore, the particle ends up at ( 11 , 1 ) (11,1)

To find the distance from the origin to this point we just use the distance formula.

( 11 0 ) 2 + ( 1 0 ) 2 = 122 \sqrt{(11-0)^{2} + (1 - 0)^{2}} = \sqrt{122} , so our answer is 122 \boxed{122}

Deepak Kumar
Apr 24, 2015

Start the process with respect to origin(i.e let the particle started from origin instead of (3,5)).Now work for the final X- Coordinate and final Y-Coordinate of the particle independently.Final X coordinate is the sum of the infinite geometric progression 10,-10/4,10/16,-10/64........=10/(1+1/4)=8 .Similarly, Final Y-Coordinate is the sum of the infinite GP 5,-5/4,5/16.........=4. But the particle started towards right with initial X-Coordinate 3 => actual final X-Coordinate=3+8=11. And actual final Y-Coordinate =5-4 =1 as the particle started down with respect to (3,5) initially.Hence required 'x'=11^2+1^2=122

I missed. For y, I added 5+4=9 instead of 5-4=1!! We can see this is a G.S. with r = 1 4 . F o r x , a = 10 S u m = 10 1 + 1 4 = 8. F o r y , r a t i o r e m a i n t h e s a m e , a = 5 , i t i s h a l f o f x . S u m = 4. T h e c o o r d i n a t e s a r e ( 3 + 8 , 5 4 ) = ( 11 , 1 ) . x = 1 1 2 = 1 2 = 122. r= -\dfrac 1 4 .~~~~~~~~~For~~~ x,~~~ a=10 ~~~~ Sum=\dfrac{10}{1+\frac 1 4 }=8.\\For~y,~ratio~remain~the~same, a=-5, \therefore~it~is~half~of~x. Sum=-4.\\ The ~coordinates~ are~(3+8,5-4)=(11,1).~~\therefore~~x=11^2=1^2=122.

Niranjan Khanderia - 6 years, 1 month ago

To Deepak Kumar, Maybe, you've made a typo. The particle started down with respect to (3,5) initially. Everything else is correct.

Rubayet Tusher - 6 years, 1 month ago

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yup that was a typo,have edited it.thanks!

Deepak Kumar - 6 years, 1 month ago
Eric Hammer
Jun 17, 2015

Solving graphically by simultaneous equations and distance formula

Rams Rahim
Sep 4, 2015

That was really a nice problem...

Hem Shailabh Sahu
Apr 24, 2015

Let the coordinates of the final point be P ( X , Y ) P(X,Y) . Therefore, the distance of the particle at the final point P from the origin O is O P = X 2 + Y 2 = x x = X 2 + Y 2 OP=\sqrt{X^2+Y^2}=\sqrt{x} \Rightarrow x=X^2+Y^2 .

Therefore, we are supposed to enter the value of X 2 + Y 2 X^2+Y^2 as the answer.

( 3 , 5 ) (3,5) are the coordinates of the initial point.

The Coordinates change as the particle moves, the x-coordinate varies as X = 3 + 10 10 2 2 + 10 2 4 10 2 6 + X = 3+10-\frac{10}{2^2}+\frac{10}{2^4}-\frac{10}{2^6}+\ldots \infty X = 3 + Infinite Converging G.P. Series with the First term, a=10, Common Ratio, r=-1/4 X = 3+\text{Infinite Converging G.P. Series with the First term, a=10, Common Ratio, r=-1/4} X = 3 + a 1 1 r = 3 + 10 1 1 ( 1 4 ) = 3 + 8 X = 3+a\frac{1}{1-r}=3+10\frac{1}{1-(-\frac{1}{4})}=3+8 X = 11 \Rightarrow X = 11

Similarly, Y = y 0 10 2 + 10 2 3 10 2 5 + Y=y_0-\frac{10}{2}+\frac{10}{2^3}-\frac{10}{2^5}+\ldots \infty Y = 5 10 2 × 1 1 1 4 = 5 4 Y=5-\frac{10}{2} \times \frac{1}{1-\frac{1}{4}}=5-4 Y = 1 \Rightarrow Y = 1

Therefore, x = X 2 + Y 2 = 1 1 2 + 1 2 = 122 x=X^2+Y^2=11^2+1^2=\boxed{122} :D

P.S. Change in Coordinates of the position of the particle explained : As the particle moves firstly 10 units along the positive x direction, x coordinate increases by 10 units. Further when the particle turns to the right i.e. towards negative y direction and moves 10 / 2 = 5 10/2=5 units, the y co-ordinate decreases by 5 units. Now as the particle turns to the right, it faces the negative x direction, and moves by 10 / ( 2 2 ) = 2.5 10/(2^2)=2.5 units, the x-coordinate decreases by 2.5 units. The process goes on. The changes can be listed as (x co-ordinate increases by 10 units, y co-ordinate decreases by 5 units, x co-ordinate decreases by 2.5 units,...) Clubbing changes in x coordinate together, we get (x co-ordinate increases by 10 units, x co-ordinate decreases by 2.5 units, ...). Clubbing changes in y coordinate together, we get (y co-ordinate decreases by 5 units, y co-ordinate increases by 1.25 units, ...). Applying these changes to the initial coordinates, gives us the position of the final point.

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