Skip to main content

2025 AMC 12A Problem 10

Problem 10 of 25EasierAlgebraGeometry

In the figure shown below, major arc ADAD and minor arc BCBC have the same center, O.O. Also, AA lies between OO and B,B, and DD lies between OO and C.C. Major arc AD,AD, minor arc BC,BC, and each of the two segments ABAB and CDCD have length 2π.2\pi. What is the distance from OO to A?A?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Let R1=OA=ODR_1 = OA = OD and R2=OB=OC,R_2 = OB = OC, and let α=∠AOD=∠BOC\alpha = \angle AOD = \angle BOC (the rays coincide). The minor arc BCBC has length R2α=2π,R_2\alpha = 2\pi, and the major arc ADAD is the reflex arc, so R1(2π−α)=2π.R_1(2\pi - \alpha) = 2\pi. Each segment AB=CD=R2−R1=2π.AB = CD = R_2 - R_1 = 2\pi. From the first two equations, R2=2παR_2 = \dfrac{2\pi}{\alpha} and R1=2π2π−α.R_1 = \dfrac{2\pi}{2\pi - \alpha}. Substituting into R2−R1=2πR_2 - R_1 = 2\pi and dividing by 2π2\pi gives 1α−12π−α=1,\frac{1}{\alpha} - \frac{1}{2\pi - \alpha} = 1, which simplifies to α2−2(1+π)α+2π=0.\alpha^2 - 2(1+\pi)\alpha + 2\pi = 0. The larger root is greater than 2π,2\pi, so it cannot be an angle of this minor arc. Thus α=(1+π)−1+π2.\alpha = (1+\pi) - \sqrt{1+\pi^2}. Then R1=2π2π−α=2ππ−1+1+π2=1−π+1+π2, \begin{aligned} R_1 &= \frac{2\pi}{2\pi - \alpha} \\ &= \frac{2\pi}{\pi - 1 + \sqrt{1+\pi^2}} \\ &= 1 - \pi + \sqrt{1+\pi^2}, \end{aligned} after rationalizing (the denominator times 1+π2−(π−1)\sqrt{1+\pi^2} - (\pi-1) equals 2π2\pi). Thus, the correct answer is B.
AoPS wiki

Tagged: arc · quadratic

More practice