Square Problem.

Level pending

F E C \triangle{ FEC} with side lengths ( 3 , 4 , 5 ) (3,4,5) is inscribed in the square A B C D ABCD above with side length x x .

If the area A E B C = a b A_{\triangle{EBC}} = \dfrac{a}{b} , where a a and b b are coprime positive integers, find a + b a + b .


The answer is 121.

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1 solution

Rocco Dalto
Jan 11, 2020

F E C \triangle{ FEC} is a right triangle since ( 3 , 4 , 5 ) (3,4,5) is a pythagorean triple.

Using the above diagram we see that F D C F A E \triangle{FDC} \sim \triangle{FAE} \implies 4 3 = x x y y = x 4 \dfrac{4}{3} = \dfrac{x}{x - y} \implies y = \dfrac{x}{4} \implies

x 2 + x 2 16 = 16 17 x 2 256 x = 16 17 y = 4 17 x^2 + \dfrac{x^2}{16} = 16 \implies 17x^2 - 256 \implies x = \dfrac{16}{\sqrt{17}} \implies y = \dfrac{4}{\sqrt{17}}

x y = 3 4 ( 16 17 ) = 12 17 \implies x - y = \dfrac{3}{4}(\dfrac{16}{\sqrt{17}}) = \dfrac{12}{\sqrt{17}} \implies

d 2 = 9 144 17 = 9 17 d = 3 17 x d = 13 17 d^2 = 9 - \dfrac{144}{17} = \dfrac{9}{17} \implies d = \dfrac{3}{\sqrt{17}} \implies x - d = \dfrac{13}{\sqrt{17}} \implies

A E B C = 1 2 ( 13 17 ) ( 16 17 ) = 104 17 = a b a + b = 121 A_{\triangle{EBC}} = \dfrac{1}{2}(\dfrac{13}{\sqrt{17}})(\dfrac{16}{\sqrt{17}}) = \dfrac{104}{17} = \dfrac{a}{b} \implies a + b = \boxed{121} .

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