BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Circles and Square.....pls help

Expert replies
Source: — Problem Solving |

by Mani_mba » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:14 am
Is the answer 4-(2*sqrt(2)). ?

I will explain if i am correct.
Join the discussion

by acorra » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:49 am
yes it should be,
please explain in details....

cheers
Andrew
Join the discussion

by Mani_mba » Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:21 am
I will try my best to explain.

Name the square as ABCD where AC represents the diagonal of the square.

Name the centers of the circles as O1 (of the circle near to vertex A) and O2 (of the circle near to vertex C)

So the diagonal line is AO1O2C ( the length = 4sqrt(2) ). Let the radius of the circles be r.

To determine r, we should know the distance between A and O1 and the distance between O2 and C. The distance between O1 and O2 is 2r.

To determine distance between A and O1
------------------------------------------------

Draw a line between A and O1 and a line between O1 and the tangential point P in AB. Drawing a line between O1 and the tangential point P in AB creates a right angle ( If i remember correctly ). The distance of the line O1P is again r.

Apply hypotenuse theorem here. AO1^2 = r^2 + r^2 = 2*r^2
=> AO1 = r*sqrt(2)

Similarly O2C = r*sqrt(2)

AC = AO1 + O1O2 + O2C
= r*sqrt(2) + 2r + r*sqrt(2)
4sqrt(2) = 2r*sqrt(2) + 2r
2sqrt(2) = r(1+ sqrt(2))

Solving this, we get r = 4-(2*sqrt(2))

HTH.
Join the discussion

by stop@800 » Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:01 am
My attempt!!

Square side = 4
diagonal = 4sqrt(2)

this squares diagonal is sum to two diagonals of circle
so 2d = 4sqrt(2)
d = 2sqrt(2)

and radius = sqrt(2)
Join the discussion

by thegenius » Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:18 pm
stop@800 wrote:My attempt!!

Square side = 4
diagonal = 4sqrt(2)

this squares diagonal is sum to two diagonals of circle
so 2d = 4sqrt(2)
d = 2sqrt(2)

and radius = sqrt(2)
Good approach to be able to select the ans from amongst the choices, but this is not exactly the radius, and the actual radius would be slightly smaller than this, cos the diagonal of the square is not exactly equal to 4r, but extends a bit on both sides beyond the circles.

However, given that thr would be 5 choiced to select from, this should be pretty good to estimate and guess the right answer!
-TheGenius
Join the discussion

by stop@800 » Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:22 pm
Join the discussion

by gmatguy16 » Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:11 pm
please post the answer choices?
Join the discussion

by 4meonly » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:13 am
Mani_mba wrote: 2sqrt(2) = r(1+ sqrt(2))

Solving this, we get r = 4-(2*sqrt(2))
I am stuck with this thing

Anybody. please elaborate
Join the discussion

by 4meonly » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:00 pm
anybody can help?
Join the discussion

by Mani_mba » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:09 pm
2sqrt(2) = r(1+sqrt(2))
=> r = 2*sqrt(2) / (1+sqrt(2))

Multiply (1-sqrt(2)) on both Numerator and Denominator

=> r = 2sqrt(2) * (1-sqrt(2)) / (1+sqrt(2)) (1-sqrt(2))
= (2sqrt(2) - 4) / (-1)
= 4-2sqrt(2)

HTH.
Join the discussion

by vittalgmat » Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:38 pm
Mani_mba wrote:I will try my best to explain.

Name the square as ABCD where AC represents the diagonal of the square.

Name the centers of the circles as O1 (of the circle near to vertex A) and O2 (of the circle near to vertex C)

So the diagonal line is AO1O2C ( the length = 4sqrt(2) ). Let the radius of the circles be r.

To determine r, we should know the distance between A and O1 and the distance between O2 and C. The distance between O1 and O2 is 2r.

To determine distance between A and O1
------------------------------------------------

Draw a line between A and O1 and a line between O1 and the tangential point P in AB. Drawing a line between O1 and the tangential point P in AB creates a right angle ( If i remember correctly ). The distance of the line O1P is again r.

Apply hypotenuse theorem here. AO1^2 = r^2 + r^2 = 2*r^2
=> AO1 = r*sqrt(2)

Similarly O2C = r*sqrt(2)

AC = AO1 + O1O2 + O2C
= r*sqrt(2) + 2r + r*sqrt(2)
4sqrt(2) = 2r*sqrt(2) + 2r
2sqrt(2) = r(1+ sqrt(2))

Solving this, we get r = 4-(2*sqrt(2))

HTH.
Hi Mani_mba,
I dint quite understand how the length of AP = r ??
Can u pls elaborate??

thanks
-V
Join the discussion

by Mani_mba » Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:57 am
I just knew AP should be r by intuition. I will try to explain mathematically:

Let us name the tangential point in the side AD as P1.

As i said already, Angle O1PA = 90 and Angle A = 90. Hence the lines DA and O1P must be parallel.

Applying same for the tangential point P1, we get
Angle O1P1A=90 and it is known that Angle A = 90. Hence the lines O1P1 and PA must be parallel.

=> APO1P1 looks like a square and all the sides measure the same. Hence AP = PO1 = O1P1 = P1A = r.

HTH.
Join the discussion

by Stacey Koprince » Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:52 pm
I received a PM asking me to reply. This problem is incomplete - it's either missing statements (if it's DS) or answer choices (if it's PS). Can the original poster please post the problem in its entirety?

Also, this one seems more complicated than what we would see on the GMAT - just FYI. To people who are wondering whether to study this, I would spend time on things that are more likely to appear on the real test, especially because this one is incomplete. On a complicated geometry problem, estimation is often the best approach.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Learn more about me
Join the discussion