Cool problem of the day! (2 Viewers)

nightweaver066

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
1,585
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Algebra:

Determine all real values of X and Y satisfying the following system of equations:



University students/Postgrads: Please refrain from answering, as tempting as it may be.
Algebra: (18, 1/3) or (2, 3)
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Geometry:

Consider a circular ring of radius R.

A stick of length k such that is placed within this circle so it becomes a 'chord'.

The stick is then 'spun' around inside the circle such that the two ends of the stick are always touching the circumference of the circle.

Find the area of the shape created by the midpoint of the stick once it's made a full rotation.

Here's my attempt:

The midpoint will make a smaller circle concentric with the original circle in the diagram. To find the radius of this circle, we use pythagoras.

Let's join the centre of the circle to the midpoint of the line and join the centre of the circle to the end of the line to form a right angled triangle. The hypotenuse is R (the radius of the original circle) and the base is half the length of the line, which is . Hence the radius of the smaller circle is:



The area of the smaller circle is thus:

 

Carrotsticks

Retired
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
9,494
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Here's my attempt:

The midpoint will make a smaller circle concentric with the original circle in the diagram. To find the radius of this circle, we use pythagoras.

Let's join the centre of the circle to the midpoint of the line and join the centre of the circle to the end of the line to form a right angled triangle. The hypotenuse is R (the radius of the original circle) and the base is half the length of the line, which is . Hence the radius of the smaller circle is:



The area of the smaller circle is thus:

That is correct, and you can confirm it by observing that as k --> 2R, Area --> 0.

Here's the hard(er) part... prove that the locus of the midpoint is actually a circle. You've assumed it here in your answer.
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
That is correct, and you can confirm it by observing that as k --> 2R, Area --> 0.

Here's the hard(er) part... prove that the locus of the midpoint is actually a circle. You've assumed it here in your answer.
The reason I knew it was a circle was because instead of spinning the chord around the circle, I spun the circle around the chord.

So I let the chord be fixed, and rotated the circle, and obviously from this the midpoint will make a circle since the centre of the circle is fixed, and the midpoint is fixed, hence they are always the same distance apart and thus the locus is a circle.

But I'll try a more rigorous proof if necessary.
 
Last edited:

Carrotsticks

Retired
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
9,494
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
The reason I knew it was a circle was because instead of spinning the chord around the circle, I spun the circle around the chord.

So I let the chord be fixed, and rotated the circle, and obviously from this the midpoint will make a circle since the centre of the circle is fixed, and the midpoint is fixed, hence they are always the same distance apart and thus the locus is a circle.

But I'll try a more rigorous proof if necessary.
Very clever =)
 

Fus Ro Dah

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
248
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
The reason I knew it was a circle was because instead of spinning the chord around the circle, I spun the circle around the chord.

So I let the chord be fixed, and rotated the circle, and obviously from this the midpoint will make a circle since the centre of the circle is fixed, and the midpoint is fixed, hence they are always the same distance apart and thus the locus is a circle.

But I'll try a more rigorous proof if necessary.
Argument by rotational symmetry of the circle as a limiting case of an N-gon.
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
This may be easy, or it may be hard. I just came up with it then, so not sure how difficult it is.

Given a quadrilateral with two of it's sides of length 4 and 4, perimeter of 24, and area of , find the length of the two unknown sides. All four corners of the quadrilateral are equidistant from some point inside the shape.
 
Last edited:

Fus Ro Dah

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
248
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
This may be easy, or it may be hard. I just came up with it then, so not sure how difficult it is.

Given a quadrilateral with two of it's sides of length 4 and 4, perimeter of 24, and area of 40, find the length of the two unknown sides. All four corners of the quadrilateral are equidistant from some point inside the shape.
Are you sure there is a unique solution?
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013

barbernator

Active Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
1,439
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
This may be easy, or it may be hard. I just came up with it then, so not sure how difficult it is.

Given a quadrilateral with two of it's sides of length 4 and 4, perimeter of 24, and area of 40, find the length of the two unknown sides. All four corners of the quadrilateral are equidistant from some point inside the shape.
no quadrilateral of perimeter 24 can have an area 40.

If there were no restrictions upon side length, the maximum area of a 24 unit quadrilateral would be 6x6=36 units squared ( when it is a square )
 

RealiseNothing

what is that?It is Cowpea
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
4,591
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
no quadrilateral of perimeter 24 can have an area 40.

If there were no restrictions upon side length, the maximum area of a 24 unit quadrilateral would be 6x6=36 units squared ( when it is a square )
Woops when I did the question I forgot to square root something.

The area should be .

This should work now.
 

seanieg89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
2,662
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
A hint for the first two number theory questions I posted on the previous page. Consider the prime factors of squares and try to use properties of prime numbers.
 

Carrotsticks

Retired
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
9,494
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Sorry been a bit busy lately. Here's a quick problem for the mean time.

A ball of radius 1 is 'dropped' into the parabola y=x^2. Find the centre of the circle.

EXTENSION: Same as above, but for the parabola
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 2)

Top