AMC 10 Step by Step

2022 AMC 10B Problem 20

P16-20~7 minPrint

Let ABCDABCD be a rhombus with ∠ADC=46∘\angle{ADC} = 46^{\circ} . Let EE be the midpoint of CD‾\overline{CD} , and let FF be the point on BE‾\overline{BE} such that AF‾\overline{AF} is perpendicular to BE‾\overline{BE} . What is the degree measure of ∠BFC\angle{BFC} ?

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Key insight

Extend BE until it meets line AD at G. Then D is the midpoint of AG, and A, F, G, C all lie on one circle centred at D.

Solution

The midpoint EE is the clue: extending a line through the midpoint of a side of a rhombus usually creates a pair of equal triangles.

1. Extend BEBE. Continue BEBE past EE until it meets line ADAD (extended past DD) at a point GG.
2. Two equal triangles. Triangles BCEBCE and GDEGDE have CE=DECE = DE (since EE is the midpoint), equal angles at EE (vertical angles), and equal angles at CC and DD (because BCBC is parallel to ADAD). So they are congruent, and DG=CBDG = CB.
3. DD is a midpoint. All sides of the rhombus are equal, so DG=CB=ADDG = CB = AD. So DD is the midpoint of AGAG.
4. FF is on a circle around DD. Triangle AFGAFG has a right angle at FF. In a right triangle, the midpoint of the longest side is the same distance from all three corners. So DF=DA=DGDF = DA = DG.
5. So is CC. DC=DADC = DA because they are sides of the rhombus. So AA, FF, GG and CC all lie on the circle with center DD and radius DADA.
6. Angle at the center. GG lies on line ADAD past DD, so ∠CDG=180∘−∠ADC=180∘−46∘=134∘\angle CDG = 180^\circ - \angle ADC = 180^\circ - 46^\circ = 134^\circ.
7. Angle at FF. An angle whose corner is on the circle is half the angle at the center that looks at the same arc. The points CC and GG are seen from FF, on the far side of the circle, so
∠CFG=12×134∘=67∘.\angle CFG = \tfrac12 \times 134^\circ = 67^\circ.
8. Finish. BB, FF, GG lie on one straight line with FF between BB and GG, so
∠BFC=180∘−∠CFG=180∘−67∘=113∘.\angle BFC = 180^\circ - \angle CFG = 180^\circ - 67^\circ = 113^\circ.

The answer is (D) 113\boxed{\textbf{(D)}\ 113}.

Why this works

Two classic moves work together here. Extending a line through the midpoint of a side makes congruent triangles and a new midpoint. Then a right angle at FF turns that midpoint into the center of a circle, because the midpoint of a right triangle's longest side is equally far from all three corners. Once four points sit on a circle, an awkward angle becomes half of an easy one.

Alternative approach

Step 7 can also be done by comparing with the corner AA. The points AA and FF are both on the circle and on the same side of the chord CGCG, so they see CC and GG at the same angle: ∠CFG=∠CAG\angle CFG = \angle CAG. The diagonal ACAC cuts the rhombus's angle at AA in half, and that angle is 180∘−46∘=134∘180^\circ - 46^\circ = 134^\circ. So ∠CAG=67∘\angle CAG = 67^\circ, and again ∠BFC=180∘−67∘=113∘\angle BFC = 180^\circ - 67^\circ = 113^\circ.

Concise solution

A shorter write-up, the way contest solutions are usually written. It may take a different route from the solution above.

Extend BEBE beyond EE to meet line ADAD at GG. Because BC∥ADBC \parallel AD and EE is the midpoint of CDCD, triangles BCEBCE and GDEGDE are congruent (two equal alternate angles and CE=DECE = DE). Hence DG=BC=ADDG = BC = AD, so DD is the midpoint of AGAG.

Triangle AFGAFG has a right angle at FF, and FDFD is the median to its hypotenuse, so DF=DA=DGDF = DA = DG. The rhombus also gives DC=DADC = DA. Therefore AA, FF, GG and CC all lie on the circle with center DD and radius DADA.

FF lies on segment BEBE, which is on the same side of line CGCG as AA (both BB and EE are), so FF and AA are on the same arc CGCG and the inscribed angles agree:
∠CFG=∠CAG=∠CAD.\angle CFG = \angle CAG = \angle CAD.
The diagonal ACAC bisects the rhombus angle at AA, and ∠BAD=180∘−46∘=134∘\angle BAD = 180^\circ - 46^\circ = 134^\circ, so ∠CAD=67∘\angle CAD = 67^\circ.

Finally BB, FF, GG are collinear with FF between BB and GG, so
∠BFC=180∘−∠CFG=180∘−67∘=113∘.\angle BFC = 180^\circ - \angle CFG = 180^\circ - 67^\circ = 113^\circ.

The answer is (D) 113\boxed{\textbf{(D)}\ 113}.

Review in the AoPS books

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Problem © Mathematical Association of America (MAA), American Mathematics Competitions. Reproduced for non-commercial educational use. Solution and commentary are original to this site.