IMO 1976 · Problem 1

In a plane convex quadrilateral of area 32, the sum of the lengths of two opposite sides and one diagonal is 16. Determine all possible lengths of the other diagonal.

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

The only possible length is \(\boxed{8\sqrt{2}}\).

Solution

Label the vertices \(A,B,C,D\) in order so that \[ AB+CD+AC=16. \] Put \(a=AB\), \(c=CD\), and \(e=AC\).

The diagonal \(AC\) divides the quadrilateral into two triangles. Their altitudes to \(AC\) are at most \(a\) and \(c\), respectively. Consequently, \[ 32=[ABC]+[ACD] \le \frac12 e(a+c) \le \frac{(e+a+c)^2}{8} =32, \] where the second inequality follows from \[ 4e(a+c)\le (e+a+c)^2. \]

Thus equality holds throughout. Equality in the second inequality gives \(e=a+c\); together with \(e+a+c=16\), this yields \[ AC=8,\qquad AB+CD=8. \] Equality in the altitude bounds gives \[ AB\perp AC,\qquad CD\perp AC. \] Both triangle areas are therefore positive, and convexity places \(B\) and \(D\) on opposite sides of \(AC\).

Choosing coordinates accordingly, we may write \[ A=(0,0),\quad C=(8,0),\quad B=(0,a),\quad D=(8,-c). \] It follows that \[ BD^2=8^2+(a+c)^2=64+64=128, \] so \(BD=8\sqrt2\).

Finally, this value is attained. Take \[ A=(0,0),\quad B=(0,4),\quad C=(8,0),\quad D=(8,-4). \] These vertices form a convex parallelogram of area \(4\cdot8=32\), and \[ AB+CD+AC=4+4+8=16. \] Its other diagonal has length \(8\sqrt2\), as required.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).