1993 AMC 12 Problem 27

Attempt Problem 27 of the 1993 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 1993 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

27.

The sides of △ABC\triangle ABC have lengths 6,6, 88 and 10.10. A circle with center PP and radius 11 rolls around the inside of △ABC,\triangle ABC, always remaining tangent to at least one side of the triangle. When PP first returns to its original position, through what distance has PP traveled?
1010
1212
1414
1515
1717
Answer: B
Concepts:inner parallel triangleangle bisectorsright triangle
Small hint:
The center traces a smaller triangle whose sides are parallel to the original sides
Big hint:
The original 66-88-1010 triangle has inradius 2,2, while the center’s path has inradius 11
Solution:
The center PP remains one unit from the side it touches, so its path is the triangle formed by the three inward parallel lines at distance 1.1. This triangle is similar to △ABC.\triangle ABC. The original right triangle has area 2424 and semiperimeter 12,12, hence inradius 2412=2.\frac{24}{12}=2. The path triangle has inradius 2−1=1,2-1=1, so its linear scale is 12.\frac{1}{2}. Its perimeter, and therefore the distance traveled, is 12(6+8+10)=12. \frac12(6+8+10)=12. Thus the correct answer is B.
LIVE by Po-Shen Loh
Programs

LIVE Classes

Self-Paced Classes

Stars

Scholarship

About Us

Who Is Po-Shen Loh?

Email Contact

Newsletter

Jobs

Become a Star

For a more Thought Full world.

© 2026 Expii, Inc.