Skip to main content

2014 AMC 10B Problem 15

Problem 15 of 25IntermediateGeometry

In rectangle ABCD,ABCD, DC=2CBDC = 2 \cdot CB and points EE and FF lie on AB\overline{AB} so that ED\overline{ED} and FD\overline{FD} trisect ADC\angle ADC as shown. What is the ratio of the area of DEF\triangle DEF to the area of rectangle ABCD?ABCD?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Let AD=h.AD=h. Since DC=AB=2h,DC=AB=2h, the area of rectangle ABCDABCD is 2h2.2h^2. The rays DEDE and DFDF make angles of 6060^\circ and 30,30^\circ, respectively, with DC.DC. Therefore, AE=htan30=h3AE=h\tan30^\circ=\dfrac{h}{\sqrt3} and AF=htan60=h3.AF=h\tan60^\circ=h\sqrt3. Hence EF=AFAE=h3h3=2h33.\begin{aligned}EF&=AF-AE\\&=h\sqrt3-\dfrac{h}{\sqrt3}\\&=\dfrac{2h\sqrt3}{3}.\end{aligned} The area of DEF\triangle DEF is 12EFh=h233.\dfrac12\cdot EF\cdot h=\dfrac{h^2\sqrt3}{3}. The desired ratio is h2332h2=36.\dfrac{\frac{h^2\sqrt3}{3}}{2h^2}=\dfrac{\sqrt3}{6}. Thus, the correct answer is A.

More practice

Concepts: trigonometry · area ratio · rectangle

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.