Star Stumper

Geometry Level 4

A square A B C D ABCD of side length 2 2 has a 4-pointed star inscribed in it - its points touch the midpoints of each side of the square, and it has lines of symmetry A C AC and B D BD .

Given that the angle between the points is 12 0 120^\circ , the area of the shaded region can be written as a b 3 c \dfrac { a-b\sqrt { 3 } }{ c } where a a , b b and c c are coprime. Find a + b + c a+b+c .


The answer is 11.

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3 solutions

Otto Bretscher
Apr 6, 2015

My solution is similar to Ruslan's. Consider the isosceles triangle formed by the left point A of the star, the upper point B of the star, and the point C where the 12 0 o 120^o angle is given. Then A B = 2 AB = \sqrt{2} , the height of this triangle over AB is h = tan ( 3 0 o ) × A B 2 h= \tan(30^o)\times\frac{AB}{2} = 6 6 =\frac{\sqrt{6}}{6} , and the area is F = ( A B ) h 2 = 3 6 F=\frac{(AB)h}{2}=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{6} . Considering the square formed by the points of the star, we see that the shaded area is 2 4 F = 6 2 3 3 2-4F=\frac{6-2\sqrt{3}}{3} .

Same solution! Except I used the 30-60-90 right triangle ratios to determine the height of the 2nd isosceles triangle.

Ryoha Mitsuya - 6 years, 2 months ago

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Looks like we found the same solution indeed. I used a 30-60-90 triangle too to find the height: consider that term tan ( 3 0 o \tan(30^o ).

Otto Bretscher - 6 years, 2 months ago

Ruslan Abdulgani
Mar 31, 2015

Let the side of the star is x.The midpoints make a triangle with the star .By cos rule’ 2 = 2x^2 - 2x^2 cos 120, so x=√(2/3), and the area of the triangle formed by the midpoints and sides of the star is (2/3)(1/2√3)/2 =1/6 √3 shaded area = 4 – 4(area of the kite) = 4 – 4(1/2 + 1/6 √3) = 2 – (2/3) √3 = (6 - 2√3)/3. So a+b+c = 11

Actually the answer must be 7

the coeffecient of -2root3 is -2

a=6, b=-2, c= 3,

6-2+3 = 7

Mohammed Ali - 6 years, 2 months ago

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No it says in the form (a - b√3) / c so b = 2
you see?

James Andrew - 6 years, 2 months ago

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Got it, -b and b are different, thanks mate

Mohammed Ali - 6 years, 2 months ago

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