What is the radius of the largest circle that can be inscribed in a sector of radius 1 with an angle of 60 degrees?
If this radius can be written as b a , where a and b are coprime positive integers, write your answer as a + b .
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∠ A B C and lies tangent to the two radii that create the sector and the larger circle itself. As such, we can draw lines through the center of the smaller circle from the points of tangency to the tangent that passes through point D. Extending the two radii to these points, we obtain △ A B C . Notice that △ A B C is equilateral as ∠ A D C and ∠ A D B are right and ∠ C A D and ∠ B A D are 3 0 ∘ in measure. Thus the circle we desire is the incircle of the equilateral △ A B C .
We desire a circle whose center is on the angle bisector ofTo find the side length use the Pythagorean theorem where A D measures 1, D C measures 2 S , and A C measures S . this yields 1 + 4 S 2 = S 2 . Simplifying and gathering like-terms we get 3 4 = S 2 or S = 3 2 . As the radius of the incircle of an equilateral triangle is 2 3 S , the radius of the circle is 3 1 . It follows then that a + b = 4 .
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O C r = s i n ( 3 0 ∘ ) = 2 1 therefore O C = 2 × r
Since O C + r = 1 we have 3 × r = 1 or r = 3 1