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2021 Fall AMC 12A Problem 24

Problem 24 of 25HarderAlgebraGeometry

Convex quadrilateral ABCDABCD has AB=18,AB = 18, A=60,\angle A = 60^\circ, and ABCD.\overline{AB} \parallel \overline{CD}. In some order, the lengths of the four sides form an arithmetic progression, and side ABAB is a side of maximum length. The length of another side is a.a. What is the sum of all possible values of a?a?

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Solution

Since AB=18AB = 18 is the largest, the four sides are 18,18d,182d,183d.18, 18 - d, 18 - 2d, 18 - 3d. Placing A=(0,0),A = (0,0), B=(18,0),B = (18,0), and D=(m2,m32)D = \left(\tfrac{m}{2}, \tfrac{m\sqrt3}{2}\right) with m=DA,m=DA, let n=CDn=CD and =BC.\ell=BC. Then C=(m2+n,m32),C=(\tfrac m2+n,\tfrac{m\sqrt3}{2}), so 2=m2+(18n)2m(18n). \begin{aligned} \ell^2&=m^2+(18-n)^2 \\ &\quad {}-m(18-n). \end{aligned} Write uj=18jdu_j=18-jd for j=1,2,3.j=1,2,3. Substituting the permutations 123,132,213,231,312,321123,132,213,231,312,321 of (u1,u2,u3)(u_1,u_2,u_3) for (m,n,)(m,n,\ell) gives the nonzero candidates d=18,2,9,5,6,6,d=18,2,9,5,6,6, respectively. Positivity of u3u_3 requires d<6,d<6, leaving only d=2d=2 and d=5.d=5. The case d=0d=0 also gives a valid rhombus. Thus the side sets are {18,16,14,12},\{18,16,14,12\}, {18,13,8,3},\{18,13,8,3\}, and {18,18,18,18}.\{18,18,18,18\}. The possible values of a non-ABAB side length are {3,8,12,13,14,16,18},\{3, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18\}, whose sum is 84.84. Thus, the correct answer is E.

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Concepts: trapezoid · arithmetic sequence · casework

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