Weird wheels in Tonyland!

Geometry Level 3

In Tonyland, cars have square wheels, of side length 60cm. The wheels rotate without sliding on the ground. If the distance traveled by the point A in a wheel spin is written as a π + b 2 π a\pi +b\sqrt { 2 } \pi , what is the value of a + b a+b ?


The answer is 90.

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2 solutions

Patrick Corn
Apr 29, 2014

There are four rotations, one around each corner of the square. In the first one, A describes a quarter-arc of the circle of radius 60 60 centered at the right bottom corner. In the second one, A describes a quarter-arc of the circle of radius 60 2 60 \sqrt{2} centered at the right bottom corner. In the third one, A describes a quarter-arc of the circle of radius 60 60 centered at the right bottom corner. In the fourth one A A is the right bottom corner and hence does not move.

The sum is therefore 30 π + 30 π 2 + 30 π = 60 π + 30 π 2 30 \pi + 30 \pi \sqrt{2} + 30 \pi = 60 \pi + 30 \pi \sqrt{2} . So a = 60 , b = 30 , a + b = 90 a = 60, b = 30, a+b = \fbox{90} .

Unstable Chickoy
Jun 17, 2014

1 s t r o t a t i o n = 2 × 60 π 4 = 30 π 1^{st} rotation = \frac{2\times 60\pi}{4} = 30\pi

2 n d r o t a t i o n = 2 × 60 2 π 4 = 30 2 π 2^{nd} rotation = \frac{2\times 60\sqrt{2}\pi}{4} = 30\sqrt{2}\pi

3 r d r o t a t i o n = 2 × 60 π 4 = 30 π 3^{rd} rotation = \frac{2\times 60\pi}{4} = 30\pi

4 t h r o t a t i o n = 0 4^{th} rotation = 0

Total distance traveled

D = [ 30 π + 30 2 π + 30 π + 0 ] = 60 π + 30 2 π D = [30\pi + 30\sqrt{2}\pi + 30\pi + 0] = 60\pi + 30\sqrt{2}\pi

a + b = 90 a + b = \boxed{90}

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