AMC12 2015 12B, Problem 19

In $\triangle ABC$, $\angle C = 90^\circ$ and $AB = 12$. Squares $ABXY$ and $CBWZ$ are constructed outside of the triangle. The points $X$, $Y$, $Z$, and $W$ lie on a circle. What is the perimeter of the triangle?

Solution: [asy] pair A,B,C,M,E,W,Z,X,Y; A=(2,0); B=(0,2); C=(0,0); M=(A+B)/2; W=(-2,2); Z=(-2,-0); X=(2,4); Y=(4,2); E=(W+Z)/2; draw(A--B--C--cycle); draw(W--B--C--Z--cycle); draw(A--B--X--Y--cycle); dot(M); dot(E); label("W",W,NW); label("Z",Z,SW); label("C",C,S); label("A",A,S); label("B",B,N); label("X",X,NE); label("Y",Y,SE); label("E",E,1.5*plain.W); label("M",M,NE); draw(circle(M,sqrt(10))); [/asy] First, we should find the center and radius of this circle. We can find the center by drawing the perpendicular bisectors of $WZ$ and $XY$ and finding their intersection point. This point happens to be the midpoint of $AB$, the hypotenuse. Let this point be $M$. To find the radius, determine $MY$, where $MY^{2} = MA^2 + AY^2$, $MA = \frac{12}{2} = 6$, and $AY = AB = 12$. Thus, the radius $=r =MY = 6\sqrt5$. Next we let $AC = b$ and $BC = a$. Consider the right triangle $ACB$ first. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we find that $a^2 + b^2 = 12^2 = 144$. [asy] pair A,B,C,M,E,W,Z,X,Y; A=(2,0); B=(0,2); C=(0,0); M=(A+B)/2; W=(-2,2); Z=(-2,-0); X=(2,4); Y=(4,2); E=(W+Z)/2; draw(A--B--C--cycle); draw(W--B--C--Z--cycle); draw(A--B--X--Y--cycle); dot(M); dot(E); label("W",W,NW); label("Z",Z,SW); label("C",C,S); label("A",A,S); label("B",B,N); label("X",X,NE); label("Y",Y,SE); label("E",E,1.5*plain.W); label("M",M,NE); draw(circle(M,sqrt(10))); draw(E--Z--M--cycle,dashed); [/asy] Now, we let $E$ be the midpoint of $WZ$, and we consider right triangle $ZEM$. By the Pythagorean theorem, we have that $\left(\frac{a}{2}\right)^2 + \left(a + \frac{b}{2}\right)^2 = r^2 = 180$. Expanding this equation, we get that \[\frac{1}{4}(a^2+b^2) + a^2 + ab = 180\] \[\frac{144}{4} + a^2 + ab = 180\] \[a^2 + ab = 144 = a^2 + b^2\] \[ab = b^2\] \[b = a\] This means that $ABC$ is a 45-45-90 triangle, so $a = b = \frac{12}{\sqrt2} = 6\sqrt2$. Thus the perimeter is $a + b + AB = 12\sqrt2 + 12$ which is answer $\fbox{12+12\sqrt{2}}$.

Answer: 12+12\sqrt{2}