Skip to main content

2021 AMC 10A Problem 13

Problem 13 of 25IntermediateGeometry

What is the volume of tetrahedron ABCDABCD with edge lengths AB=2,AB = 2, AC=3,AC = 3, AD=4,AD = 4, BC=13,BC = \sqrt{13}, BD=25,BD = 2\sqrt{5}, and CD=5?CD = 5?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Place A=(0,0,0),A=(0,0,0), B=(2,0,0),B=(2,0,0), C=(0,3,0),C=(0,3,0), and D=(0,0,4).D=(0,0,4). Then BC=22+32=13,BD=22+42=25,CD=32+42=5, \begin{aligned} BC &= \sqrt{2^2+3^2}=\sqrt{13}, \\ BD &= \sqrt{2^2+4^2}=2\sqrt5, \\ CD &= \sqrt{3^2+4^2}=5, \end{aligned} so this coordinate model matches all the given edge lengths. The tetrahedron is a rectangular-corner tetrahedron with perpendicular edge lengths 2,3,42,3,4 from A,A, so its volume is 16(2)(3)(4)=4.\frac16(2)(3)(4)=4. Thus, C is the correct answer.

More practice

Concepts: volume · 3D geometry · Pythagorean Theorem

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