Problem 10: Geometry HMMT 2008 Guts #21

Problem: Let ABC be a triangle with AB = 5, BC = 4 and AC = 3. Let P and Q be

squares inside ABC with disjoint interiors such that they both have one side lying on AB.
Also, the two squares each have an edge lying on a common line perpendicular to AB, and
P has one vertex on AC and Q has one vertex on BC. Determine the minimum value of the
sum of the areas of the two squares.

Q
P
A B

Solution:
Label A(0, 0) and B(5, 0) and let the intersection of P and AC be D and the intersection of
Q and BC be E. Also let P have length p and Q have length q.

The slope of line AC is tan ∠CAB = 34 . Then label D 3 7

4 p, p . Then label E 4p + q, q .

The slope of line BC
is tan ∠CBA = 34 . Write the equation of line BC as y = − 43 x + 154 .
3 7 15
Then q = − 4 4 p + q + 4 . Then 21p + 28q = 60. By the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality,
602 602 122 144
(p2 + q 2 )(212 + 282 ) ≥ (21p + 28q)2 = 602 . So p2 + q 2 ≥ 2 = = = .
21 + 282 352 72 49

p q 36 48
Note: We have equality when 21 = 28 , or p = 35 , q = 35 .

Solution was written by ch1n353ch3s54a1l and compiled from Art of Problem Solving
Forums.