Exposition

Geometry Level 5

Three circles are enclosed in a rectangle such that each circle is tangent with one another and the rectangle. The dimensions of the rectangle are ( 2 6 + 5 ) (2\sqrt6+5) by 6 6 .

Find the diameter of the smallest circle.


The answer is 2.25.

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2 solutions

Nibedan Mukherjee
Jul 13, 2015

Let E G = K M = r EG=KM=r & H F = N I = x HF=NI= x ;

Since, A D = E F = 6 AD=EF=6 ( given ), therefore O E = O F = 3 OE=OF= 3 ,

now, O G = O E E G = ( 3 r ) OG = OE - EG = (3 - r) & O H = O F H F = ( 3 x ) OH = OF - HF = (3 - x) ,

by Pythagoras theorem ;

( G M ) 2 = ( O M ) 2 ( O G ) 2 (GM)^2 = (OM)^2 - (OG)^2

or, ( G M ) 2 = ( 3 + r ) 2 ( 3 r ) 2 (GM)^2 = (3 + r)^2 - (3 - r)^2

or, ( G M ) = 12 r (GM) = \sqrt{12r} ----------------- eq.(1) similarly,

( H N ) 2 = ( O N ) 2 ( O H ) 2 (HN)^2 = (ON)^2 - (OH)^2

or, ( H N ) = 12 x (HN)= \sqrt{12x} ------------------eq.(2)

now, considering triangle M N J MNJ ;

M J = G H = G O + O H = ( 6 r x ) MJ = GH = GO + OH = (6 - r - x) ;

& J N = H N G M = ( 12 x 12 r ) JN = HN - GM = (\sqrt{12x} - \sqrt{12r}) & M N = ( r + x ) MN= (r + x) ; by Pythagoras theorem;

( M N ) 2 = ( M J ) 2 + ( J N ) 2 (MN)^2 = (MJ)^2 + (JN)^2 ;

or, ( r + x ) 2 = ( 6 r x ) 2 + ( 12 x 12 r ) 2 (r + x)^2 = (6 - r -x)^2 + (\sqrt{12x} - \sqrt{12r})^2

or, x r = 3 / 2 \sqrt{xr} = 3/2

or, x r = 9 / 4 xr = 9/4 ----------- eq.(3)

now, since D C = ( 2 6 + 5 ) DC= (2\sqrt{6} + 5) given..

D C = ( D F + F I + I C ) = ( 3 + 12 x ) + x ) = ( 2 6 + 5 ) DC = (DF + FI + IC) = (3 + \sqrt{12x)} + x) = (2\sqrt{6} + 5)

or, 12 x + x = 2 6 + 5 3 \sqrt{12x} + x = 2\sqrt{6} + 5 - 3

or, 12 x + x = 2 6 + 2 \sqrt{12x} + x = 2\sqrt{6} + 2

by comparing we get;

x = 2 x = 2

now putting the value of x in eq.(3) we get

2 r = 9 / 4 = 2.25 2r = 9/4 =\boxed{ 2.25} (ans.)

Mod: LaTeX {\LaTeX} 'd

Nice solution, i had a hard time trying to express x in terms of r haha.

Tay Yong Qiang - 5 years, 10 months ago

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Thanks! It's simply linear Eular arithmetic relation.

nibedan mukherjee - 5 years, 10 months ago



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