2019 AMC 10 B

Complete problem set with solutions and individual problem pages

Problem 23 Hard

Points A(6,13) and B(12,11) lie on circle w in the plane. Suppose that the tangent lines to w at A and  B intersect at a point on the x-axis. What is the area of w? (2019 AMC 10B Problem, Question#23)

  • A.

    \frac {83\pi }{8}

  • B.

    \frac {21\pi }{2}

  • C.

    \frac {85\pi }{8}

  • D.

    \frac {43\pi }{4}

  • E.

    \frac {87\pi }{8}

Answer:C

First, observe that the two tangent lines are of identical length. Therefore, supposing that the point of intersection is (x,0), the Pythagorean Theorem gives x=5.

Further, notice (due to the right angles formed by a radius and its tangent line) that the quadrilateral (a kite) defined by the circle's center,A, B, and (5,0) is cyclic. Therefore, we can apply Ptolemy's Theorem to give 2\sqrt {170}x=d\sqrt {40}, where d is the distance between the circle's center and (5,0). Therefore, d=\sqrt {17}x . Using the Pythagorean Theorem on the triangle formed by the point (5,0), either one of A or B, and the circle's center, we find that 170+x^2=17x^2, so x^2=\frac {85}{8}, and thus the answer is \text {(C)}\frac {85}{8}\pi.

We firstly obtain x=5 as in Solution 1. Label the point (5,0) as C. The midpoint M of segment AB is (9,12). Notice that the center of the circle must lie on the line passing through the points C and M. Thus, the center of the circle lies on the line y=3x-15. Line AC is y=13x-65. Therefore, the slope of the line perpendicular to AC is -\frac {1}{13}, so its equation is y=-\frac {x}{13}+\frac {175}{13}.

But notice that this line must pass through A(6,13) and (x,3x-15).

Hence 3x-15=-\frac {x}{13}+\frac {175}{13}\Rightarrow x=\frac {37}{4}. So the center of the circle is (\frac {37}{4},\frac {51}{4}).

Finally, the distance between the center, (\frac {37}{4},\frac {51}{4}), and point A is \frac{\sqrt{170}}{4}. Thus the area of the circle is \text {(C)}\frac {85}{8}\pi.

The midpoint of AB is D(9,12). Let the tangent lines at A and B intersect at C(a,0) on the x-axis. Then CD is the perpendicular bisector of . AB. Let the center of the circle be O. Then \triangle AOC is similar to \triangle DAC, so \frac {OA}{AC}=\frac {AD}{DC}. The slope of AB is \frac {13-11}{6-12}=\frac {-1}{3} , so the slope of CD is 3. Hence, the equation of CD is y-12=3(x-9)\Rightarrow y=3x-15. Letting y=0, we have x=5, so .C=(5,0).

Now, we compute AC=\sqrt{(6-5)^2+(13-0)^2}=\sqrt {170}, AD=\sqrt{(6-9)^2+(13-12)^2}=\sqrt {10}, and DC=\sqrt{(9-5)^2+(12-0)^2}=\sqrt {160}.

Therefore OA=\frac {AC\cdot AD}{DC}=\sqrt{\frac{85}{8}}, and consequently, the area of the circle is \pi\cdot OA^2= \text {(C)}\frac {85}{8}\pi.

Firstly, the point of intersection of the two tangent lines has an equal distance to points A and B due to power of a point theorem. This means we can easily find the point, which is (5,0). Label this point X. \triangle XAB is an isosceles triangle with lengths, \sqrt{170}, \sqrt{170}, and 2\sqrt{10}. Label the midpoint of segment AB as M. The height of this triangle, or \overline{XM}, is 4\sqrt{10}.

Since \overline{XM} bisects \overline{AB}, \overleftrightarrow{XM} contains the diameter of circle w. Let the two points on circle w where \overleftrightarrow{XM} intersects be P and Q with \overline{XP} being the shorter of the two. Now let \overline{XP} be x and \overline{MQ} be y. By Power of a Point on \overline{PQ} and \overline{AB}, xy=(\sqrt {10})^2=10. Applying Power of a Point again on \overline{XQ} and \overline{XA}, (4\sqrt{10}-x)(4\sqrt{10}+y)=(\sqrt {170})^2=170. Expanding while using the fact that xy=10, y=x+\frac{\sqrt{10}}{2}. Plugging this into xy=10, 2x^2+\sqrt{10}x-20=0. Using the quadratic formula, x=\frac {\sqrt{170}-\sqrt{10}}{4}, and since x+y=2x+\frac {\sqrt{10}}{2}, x+y=\frac {\sqrt{170}}{2}. Since this is the diameter, the radius of circle w is \frac{\sqrt{170}}{4} , and so the area of circle w is text {(C)}frac {85}{8}\pi$$.