AoPSWiki
Trying to get to the USAMO in 2010? Our AIME Problem Series can help you get there! Click here to enroll today!

1995 AHSME Problems/Problem 8

From AoPSWiki

Problem

In \triangle ABC, \angle C = 90^\circ, AC = 6 and BC = 8. Points D and E are on \overline{AB} and \overline{BC}, respectively, and \angle BED = 90^\circ. If DE = 4, then BD =

\mathrm{(A) \ 5 } \qquad \mathrm{(B) \ \frac {16}{3} } \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ \frac {20}{3} } \qquad \mathrm{(D) \ \frac {15}{2...

Solution

size(120);defaultpen(0.7);pair  A = (0,6), B = (8,0), C= (0,0), D = (8/3,4), E = (8/3,0), F = (0, 3), G = (38/15,1.6);draw(A-...

\triangle BDE is similar to \triangle BAC, and thus BD=10\cdot \dfrac{4}{6}=\dfrac{20}{3}\Rightarrow \boxed{\mathrm{(C)}}.

See also

1995 AHSME (Problems)
Preceded by
Problem 7
Followed by
Problem 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Trying to get to the USAMO in 2010? Our AIME Problem Series can help you get there! Click here to enroll today!
© Copyright 2008 AoPS Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. • FoundationPrivacyContact Us