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2021 Fall AMC 12A Problem 13

Problem 13 of 25IntermediateAlgebraGeometry

The angle bisector of the acute angle formed at the origin by the graphs of the lines y=xy = x and y=3xy = 3x has equation y=kx.y = kx. What is k?k?

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Solution

The bisector points along the sum of the unit vectors of the two lines: (1,1)2+(1,3)10.\dfrac{(1,1)}{\sqrt2} + \dfrac{(1,3)}{\sqrt{10}}. Its slope is k=12+31012+110=5+35+1. k = \frac{\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2} + \tfrac{3}{\sqrt{10}}}{\tfrac{1}{\sqrt2} + \tfrac{1}{\sqrt{10}}} = \frac{\sqrt5 + 3}{\sqrt5 + 1}. Multiplying numerator and denominator by 5−1\sqrt5 - 1 gives (5+3)(5−1)4\dfrac{(\sqrt5 + 3)(\sqrt5 - 1)}{4} =2+254= \dfrac{2 + 2\sqrt5}{4} =1+52.= \dfrac{1 + \sqrt5}{2}. Thus, the correct answer is A.
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Tagged: angle bisector · vector · rationalizing denominator

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