1986 AMC 12 Problem 27

Attempt Problem 27 of the 1986 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 1986 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

27.

In the adjoining figure, ABAB is a diameter of the circle, CDCD is a chord parallel to AB,AB, and ACAC intersects BDBD at E,E, with ∠AED=α.\angle AED=\alpha. The ratio of the area of △CDE\triangle CDE to that of △ABE\triangle ABE is
cos⁡α\cos\alpha
sin⁡α\sin\alpha
cos⁡2α\cos^2\alpha
sin⁡2α\sin^2\alpha
1−sin⁡α1-\sin\alpha
Answer: C
Concepts:circleintersecting chordstriangle areatrigonometry
Small hint:
Express each triangle’s area using the two sides meeting at EE
Big hint:
Use the intersecting-chords theorem, then draw ADAD and use the right triangle created by diameter ABAB
Solution:
The triangles use the same angle at E,E, so [CDE][ABE]=CE⋅DEAE⋅BE. \frac{[CDE]}{[ABE]} =\frac{CE\cdot DE}{AE\cdot BE}. Intersecting chords give AE⋅CE=BE⋅DE,AE\cdot CE=BE\cdot DE, so this ratio becomes (DEAE)2.(\frac{DE}{AE})^2. Draw AD.AD. Since ABAB is a diameter, ∠ADB=90∘,\angle ADB=90^\circ, and D,E,BD,E,B are collinear. Thus triangle ADEADE is right at D,D, and DEAE=cos⁡α.\frac{DE}{AE}=\cos\alpha. The required ratio is cos⁡2α.\cos^2\alpha.
Thus the correct answer is C.
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