1984 AMC 12 Problem 25

Attempt Problem 25 of the 1984 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1984 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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25.

The total area of all the faces of a rectangular solid is 22 cm2,22\text{ cm}^2, and the total length of all its edges is 24 cm.24\text{ cm}. Then the length in cm of any one of its internal diagonals is
11\sqrt{11}
12\sqrt{12}
13\sqrt{13}
14\sqrt{14}
not uniquely determined
Answer: D
Concepts:rectangular prismsurface areadiagonal
Small hint:
Let the side lengths be x,y,zx,y,z and translate both totals into equations
Big hint:
Expand (x+y+z)2(x+y+z)^2 to find x2+y2+z2x^2+y^2+z^2
Solution:
The conditions give 2(xy+xz+yz)=222(xy+xz+yz)=22 and 4(x+y+z)=24,4(x+y+z)=24, so xy+xz+yz=11xy+xz+yz=11 and x+y+z=6.x+y+z=6. Hence the square of an internal diagonal is x2+y2+z2=62−2(11)=14. x^2+y^2+z^2=6^2-2(11)=14. Its length is 14.\sqrt{14}.
Therefore, the correct answer is D.
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