Nine Circles

Geometry Level 3

The figure shows nine externally tangent circles. The yellow and red circles are also tangent to a line. Congruent circles are colored alike. If the radius of the green circle is 10, what is the radius of the large yellow circle?


The answer is 135.

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1 solution

Since the system is symmetrical about the center line, let us consider half of the circles on the right. Let the radius of red circle be r r and the radius of the large yellow circle be R R . Consider the line A E AE whose length is R R . Then

A D + D E = A E A D + D G 2 G E 2 = A E 3 r + ( R + r ) 2 ( R r ) 2 = R 3 r + 2 r R R = 0 ( 3 r R ) ( r + R ) = 0 Since R > r > 0 3 r = R R = 9 r \begin{aligned} AD + DE & = AE \\ AD + \sqrt{DG^2-GE^2} & = AE \\ 3r + \sqrt{(R+r)^2-(R-r)^2} & = R \\ 3r + 2\sqrt{rR} - R & = 0 \\ (3\sqrt r - \sqrt R)(\sqrt r + \sqrt R) & = 0 & \small \blue{\text{Since }R > r > 0} \\ 3 \sqrt r & = \sqrt R \\ \implies R & = 9 r \end{aligned}

Also

A C + C E = A E A C + F H = A E A C + F G 2 G H 2 = A E A C + F G 2 ( G I H E E I ) 2 = A E 2 r + ( R + 10 ) 2 ( R F C r ) 2 = R 2 r + ( 9 r + 10 ) 2 ( 8 r ( r + 10 ) 2 r 2 ) 2 = 9 r ( 9 r + 10 ) 2 ( 8 r 20 r + 100 ) 2 = 7 r 81 r 2 + 180 r + 100 ( 64 r 2 16 r 20 r + 100 + 20 r + 100 ) = 49 r 2 16 r 20 r + 100 = 32 r 2 160 r Since r > 0 5 r + 25 = r 5 Squaring both sides. 5 r + 25 = r 2 10 r + 25 r = 15 R = 9 r = 135 \begin{aligned} AC + CE & = AE \\ AC + FH & = AE \\ AC + \sqrt{FG^2 - GH^2} & = AE \\ AC + \sqrt{FG^2-(GI-HE-EI)^2} & = AE \\ 2r + \sqrt{(R+10)^2 - (R - FC - r)^2} & = R \\ 2r + \sqrt{(9r+10)^2 - (8r - \sqrt{(r+10)^2-r^2})^2} & = 9r \\ \sqrt{(9r+10)^2 - (8r - \sqrt{20r+100})^2} & = 7r \\ 81r^2 + 180r + 100 - (64r^2 - 16r\sqrt{20r+100} + 20r + 100) & = 49r^2 \\ 16r\sqrt{20r+100} & = 32r^2 - 160r & \small \blue{\text{Since }r > 0} \\ \sqrt{5r+25} & = r - 5 & \small \blue{\text{Squaring both sides.}} \\ 5r + 25 & = r^2 - 10r + 25 \\ \implies r & = 15 \\ R & = 9r = \boxed{135} \end{aligned}

Nice solution.

Hana Wehbi - 5 months, 1 week ago

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