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2001 AMC 12 Problem 24

Problem 24 of 25HarderGeometry

In triangle ABC,ABC, ABC=45.\angle ABC = 45^\circ. Point DD is on BC\overline{BC} so that 2BD=CD2 \cdot BD = CD and DAB=15.\angle DAB = 15^\circ. Find ACB.\angle ACB.

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Solution

Let EE be the foot of the perpendicular from CC to line AD.AD. The exterior angle of ADB\triangle ADB gives ADC=15+45=60,\angle ADC = 15^\circ + 45^\circ = 60^\circ, so CDE\triangle CDE is a 3030-6060-9090 triangle with DE=12CD=BD.DE = \tfrac{1}{2}CD = BD. Then BDE\triangle BDE is isosceles with EBD=BED=30,\angle EBD = \angle BED = 30^\circ, and since ECB=30\angle ECB = 30^\circ too, BEC\triangle BEC is isosceles with BE=EC.BE = EC. Also ABE\angle ABE =4530= 45^\circ - 30^\circ =15= 15^\circ =EAB,= \angle EAB, so ABE\triangle ABE is isosceles with AE=BE.AE = BE. Hence AE=BE=EC,AE = BE = EC, making right triangle AECAEC isosceles with ECA=45.\angle ECA = 45^\circ. Therefore ACB\angle ACB =ECA+ECD= \angle ECA + \angle ECD =45+30= 45^\circ + 30^\circ =75.= 75^\circ. Thus, the correct answer is D.

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Concepts: angle chasing · isosceles triangle · special right triangle

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