Skip to main content

2025 AMC 12B Problem 21

Problem 21 of 25HarderGeometry

Two non-congruent triangles have the same area. Each triangle has sides of length 88 and 9,9, and the third side of each triangle has integer length. What is the sum of the lengths of the third sides?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

The area with included angle θ\theta is 36sinθ,36\sin\theta, so two triangles of equal area use angles θ\theta and 180θ,180^\circ - \theta, with cosines ±cosθ.\pm\cos\theta. By the law of cosines the third sides satisfy t2=145144cosθ,t^2 = 145 \mp 144\cos\theta, hence t12+t22=290.t_1^2 + t_2^2 = 290. Since 2902(mod8),290\equiv2\pmod8, both integer sides must be odd. Checking the odd squares in the triangle-inequality range 1<t<171\lt t\lt17 leaves only 112+132=121+169=290.11^2+13^2=121+169=290. Therefore the sum is 24.24. Thus, the correct answer is C.

More practice

Concepts: law of cosines · triangle area · triangle inequality

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