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2009 AMC 12B Problem 16

Problem 16 of 25IntermediateGeometry

Trapezoid ABCDABCD has ADBC,AD \parallel BC, BD=1,BD = 1, DBA=23,\angle DBA = 23^\circ, and BDC=46.\angle BDC = 46^\circ. The ratio BC:ADBC : AD is 9:5.9 : 5. What is CD?CD?

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Solution

Draw the line through DD parallel to AB,AB, meeting BCBC at E,E, so ABEDABED is a parallelogram with BE=AD.BE = AD. Then BDE=DBA=23,\angle BDE = \angle DBA = 23^\circ, and since BDC=46,\angle BDC = 46^\circ, segment DEDE bisects BDC.\angle BDC. By the angle bisector theorem in BDC,\triangle BDC, ECBE=DCDB,\dfrac{EC}{BE} = \dfrac{DC}{DB}, so CD=DBBCADAD=1(951)=45. \begin{aligned} CD &= DB \cdot \dfrac{BC - AD}{AD} \\ &= 1 \cdot \left(\dfrac{9}{5} - 1\right) \\ &= \dfrac{4}{5}. \end{aligned} Thus, the correct answer is B.

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Concepts: angle bisector theorem · trapezoid · parallel lines

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