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jmc

geometry senior

Problem

The field shown has been planted uniformly with wheat.
problem
At harvest, the wheat at any point in the field is brought to the nearest point on the field's perimeter. What is the fraction of the crop that is brought to the longest side?
Solution
We first note that the given quadrilateral is a trapezoid, because and so the top and bottom sides are parallel. We need to determine the total area of the trapezoid and then what fraction of that area is closest to the longest side.

DETERMINATION OF REGION CLOSEST TO

Next, we need to determine what region of the trapezoid is closest to side To be closest to side a point inside the trapezoid must be closer to than to each of and For a point in the trapezoid to be closer to than to it must be below the "half-way mark", which is the midsegment Thus, such a point must be below the parallel line that is above

For a point in the trapezoid to be closer to than to it must be below the angle bisector of Similarly, for a point in the trapezoid to be closer to than to it must be below the angle bisector of Define points and to be the points of intersection between the angle bisectors of and respectively, with the midsegment

Solution 1: The slick way:

Connecting and to the midpoint of forms three equilateral triangles as shown below:



is the midpoint of and is the midpoint of Therefore, the region of points closest to consists of half of triangle of triangle (since and are midpoints of sides and the area of is the area of ), and half of triangle . Each equilateral triangle is of the entire trapezoid, so the region that is closest to is of the entire trapezoid. (Solution from user brokenfixer.)

Solution 2: The long way.

AREA OF TRAPEZOID

Label the trapezoid as and drop perpendiculars from and to and on Since is right-angled at and then (We used the ratios in a -- triangle to do these calculations.) By symmetry, as well.

Also, since is parallel to and and are perpendicular to then is a rectangle, so Thus, the area of trapezoid is or square meters.

AREA OF TRAPEZOID

Lastly, we need to determine the area of trapezoid Note that Drop perpendiculars from and to and respectively, on We know that and

Since each of and is a -- triangle, This tells us that the angle bisectors must intersect above since and so

Since is a rectangle (by similar reasoning as for ), Therefore, the area of trapezoid is or square meters.

This tells us that the fraction of the crop that is brought to is
Final answer
\frac{5}{12}