Post History
#4: Post edited
- Trapezoid $ABCD$ is given such that $AB\parallel CD$ and $AD=BD$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AB$ and $P$ be the intersection of diagonal $AC$ with the circumcircle of $\triangle BCD$. Given that $BC=27$, $CD=25$, and $AP=10$, find $MP$.
- Here's some visualization that I made in GeoGebra:
- ![image](https://i.imgur.com/GvR89Dj_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand)
- <details>
- <summary>My attempts:</summary>
- The answer key states the answer is $\frac{27}5$, which I found to be true using GeoGebra.
- To actually solve it, I later named the trapezoid's height as $h$, extended $AB$ to intersect the circle again at $Q$, named a certain length $d$, used the [intersecting secants theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersecting_secants_theorem) with the legendary [Pythagorean theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem) that we all know, went through some _heachache-inducing algebra crunching_, and eventually got it with the help of a calculator.
- But, I thought, there must be a way to solve this that isn't so egregiously unelegant! Right?
- So I named some angles. $\alpha=\angle BAC=\angle ACD=\angle PBD$, $\beta=\angle ABP=\angle CAD$, $\gamma=\angle ACB=\angle PDB$, $\delta=\angle BDC=\angle BPC$, $\epsilon=\angle CBD=\angle CPD$, $\zeta=\angle MDP$.
- But I couldn't find much similarity that would be of use. Only that $\triangle APB\sim\triangle BDP\sim\triangle ACD$, which leads to $\delta=\alpha+\beta$ and $AB=\frac25AC$.
Even more mysteriously, with Geogebra I was able to find that $\angle MPB=\epsilon$! How is that, and would that be meaningful information? I even tried extending $BC$ to the point $F$ such that $\triangle ABC\sim\triangle CFP$ (i.e. $AFBP$ a cyclic quadrilateral), which would require $F,M,P$ to be collinear–which I haven't yet figured out how to prove.- </details>
- Is there a way to solve this problem that doesn't involve _headache-inducing algebra crunching_?
- Trapezoid $ABCD$ is given such that $AB\parallel CD$ and $AD=BD$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AB$ and $P$ be the intersection of diagonal $AC$ with the circumcircle of $\triangle BCD$. Given that $BC=27$, $CD=25$, and $AP=10$, find $MP$.
- Here's some visualization that I made in GeoGebra:
- ![image](https://i.imgur.com/GvR89Dj_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand)
- <details>
- <summary>My attempts:</summary>
- The answer key states the answer is $\frac{27}5$, which I found to be true using GeoGebra.
- To actually solve it, I later named the trapezoid's height as $h$, extended $AB$ to intersect the circle again at $Q$, named a certain length $d$, used the [intersecting secants theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersecting_secants_theorem) with the legendary [Pythagorean theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem) that we all know, went through some _heachache-inducing algebra crunching_, and eventually got it with the help of a calculator.
- But, I thought, there must be a way to solve this that isn't so egregiously unelegant! Right?
- So I named some angles. $\alpha=\angle BAC=\angle ACD=\angle PBD$, $\beta=\angle ABP=\angle CAD$, $\gamma=\angle ACB=\angle PDB$, $\delta=\angle BDC=\angle BPC$, $\epsilon=\angle CBD=\angle CPD$, $\zeta=\angle MDP$.
- But I couldn't find much similarity that would be of use. Only that $\triangle APB\sim\triangle BDP\sim\triangle ACD$, which leads to $\delta=\alpha+\beta$ and $AB=\frac25AC$.
- Even more mysteriously, with GeoGebra I was able to find that $\angle MPB=\epsilon$! How is that, and would that be meaningful information? I even tried extending $BC$ to the point $F$ such that $\triangle ABC\sim\triangle CFP$ (i.e. $AFBP$ a cyclic quadrilateral), which would require $F,M,P$ to be collinear–which I haven't yet figured out how to prove.
- </details>
- Is there a way to solve this problem that doesn't involve _headache-inducing algebra crunching_?
#3: Post edited
- Trapezoid $ABCD$ is given such that $AB\parallel CD$ and $AD=BD$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AB$ and $P$ be the intersection of diagonal $AC$ with the circumcircle of $\triangle BCD$. Given that $BC=27$, $CD=25$, and $AP=10$, find $MP$.
Here's some visualization that I made in Geogebra:- ![image](https://i.imgur.com/GvR89Dj_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand)
- <details>
- <summary>My attempts:</summary>
The answer key states the answer is $\frac{27}5$, which I found to be true using Geogebra.- To actually solve it, I later named the trapezoid's height as $h$, extended $AB$ to intersect the circle again at $Q$, named a certain length $d$, used the [intersecting secants theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersecting_secants_theorem) with the legendary [Pythagorean theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem) that we all know, went through some _heachache-inducing algebra crunching_, and eventually got it with the help of a calculator.
- But, I thought, there must be a way to solve this that isn't so egregiously unelegant! Right?
- So I named some angles. $\alpha=\angle BAC=\angle ACD=\angle PBD$, $\beta=\angle ABP=\angle CAD$, $\gamma=\angle ACB=\angle PDB$, $\delta=\angle BDC=\angle BPC$, $\epsilon=\angle CBD=\angle CPD$, $\zeta=\angle MDP$.
- But I couldn't find much similarity that would be of use. Only that $\triangle APB\sim\triangle BDP\sim\triangle ACD$, which leads to $\delta=\alpha+\beta$ and $AB=\frac25AC$.
- Even more mysteriously, with Geogebra I was able to find that $\angle MPB=\epsilon$! How is that, and would that be meaningful information? I even tried extending $BC$ to the point $F$ such that $\triangle ABC\sim\triangle CFP$ (i.e. $AFBP$ a cyclic quadrilateral), which would require $F,M,P$ to be collinear–which I haven't yet figured out how to prove.
- </details>
- Is there a way to solve this problem that doesn't involve _headache-inducing algebra crunching_?
- Trapezoid $ABCD$ is given such that $AB\parallel CD$ and $AD=BD$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AB$ and $P$ be the intersection of diagonal $AC$ with the circumcircle of $\triangle BCD$. Given that $BC=27$, $CD=25$, and $AP=10$, find $MP$.
- Here's some visualization that I made in GeoGebra:
- ![image](https://i.imgur.com/GvR89Dj_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand)
- <details>
- <summary>My attempts:</summary>
- The answer key states the answer is $\frac{27}5$, which I found to be true using GeoGebra.
- To actually solve it, I later named the trapezoid's height as $h$, extended $AB$ to intersect the circle again at $Q$, named a certain length $d$, used the [intersecting secants theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersecting_secants_theorem) with the legendary [Pythagorean theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem) that we all know, went through some _heachache-inducing algebra crunching_, and eventually got it with the help of a calculator.
- But, I thought, there must be a way to solve this that isn't so egregiously unelegant! Right?
- So I named some angles. $\alpha=\angle BAC=\angle ACD=\angle PBD$, $\beta=\angle ABP=\angle CAD$, $\gamma=\angle ACB=\angle PDB$, $\delta=\angle BDC=\angle BPC$, $\epsilon=\angle CBD=\angle CPD$, $\zeta=\angle MDP$.
- But I couldn't find much similarity that would be of use. Only that $\triangle APB\sim\triangle BDP\sim\triangle ACD$, which leads to $\delta=\alpha+\beta$ and $AB=\frac25AC$.
- Even more mysteriously, with Geogebra I was able to find that $\angle MPB=\epsilon$! How is that, and would that be meaningful information? I even tried extending $BC$ to the point $F$ such that $\triangle ABC\sim\triangle CFP$ (i.e. $AFBP$ a cyclic quadrilateral), which would require $F,M,P$ to be collinear–which I haven't yet figured out how to prove.
- </details>
- Is there a way to solve this problem that doesn't involve _headache-inducing algebra crunching_?
#1: Initial revision
Find $MP$ in trapezoid
Trapezoid $ABCD$ is given such that $AB\parallel CD$ and $AD=BD$. Let $M$ be the midpoint of $AB$ and $P$ be the intersection of diagonal $AC$ with the circumcircle of $\triangle BCD$. Given that $BC=27$, $CD=25$, and $AP=10$, find $MP$. Here's some visualization that I made in Geogebra: ![image](https://i.imgur.com/GvR89Dj_d.webp?maxwidth=760&fidelity=grand) <details> <summary>My attempts:</summary> The answer key states the answer is $\frac{27}5$, which I found to be true using Geogebra. To actually solve it, I later named the trapezoid's height as $h$, extended $AB$ to intersect the circle again at $Q$, named a certain length $d$, used the [intersecting secants theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersecting_secants_theorem) with the legendary [Pythagorean theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_theorem) that we all know, went through some _heachache-inducing algebra crunching_, and eventually got it with the help of a calculator. But, I thought, there must be a way to solve this that isn't so egregiously unelegant! Right? So I named some angles. $\alpha=\angle BAC=\angle ACD=\angle PBD$, $\beta=\angle ABP=\angle CAD$, $\gamma=\angle ACB=\angle PDB$, $\delta=\angle BDC=\angle BPC$, $\epsilon=\angle CBD=\angle CPD$, $\zeta=\angle MDP$. But I couldn't find much similarity that would be of use. Only that $\triangle APB\sim\triangle BDP\sim\triangle ACD$, which leads to $\delta=\alpha+\beta$ and $AB=\frac25AC$. Even more mysteriously, with Geogebra I was able to find that $\angle MPB=\epsilon$! How is that, and would that be meaningful information? I even tried extending $BC$ to the point $F$ such that $\triangle ABC\sim\triangle CFP$ (i.e. $AFBP$ a cyclic quadrilateral), which would require $F,M,P$ to be collinear–which I haven't yet figured out how to prove. </details> Is there a way to solve this problem that doesn't involve _headache-inducing algebra crunching_?