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Problem of the Week

Problem E and Solutions
Good Things Grow
Problem
A rectangular plot of land measuring 16 m by 12 m is used as a vegetable
garden. ABCD represents the plot with AB = 16 m and BC = 12 m. The
midpoints of sides AB, BC, CD, and AD are P, Q, R, and S, respectively. T is
the midpoint of P S. Peas are planted in the triangular section labelled 4AP S,
green beans are planted in the triangular section labelled 4QCR, carrots are
grown in the quadrilateral section labelled T SDR, and potatoes are grown in
the section labelled P BQT . The region shown as 4QRT has nothing planted
in it. What fraction of the area of the entire garden has nothing planted in it?
Solution 1
Since ABCD is a rectangle, area ABCD = AB BC = 16 12 = 192 m2 .
Join P to Q and S to R.
A P B
T
S Q

D R C

Since P, Q, R and S are the midpoints of AB, BC, CD and AD, we have
AP = P B = RC = RD = 8 m and AS = BQ = QC = DS = 6 m. Also,
A = B = C = D = 90 . Using Side-Angle-Side Triangle Congruence,

4P AS
= 4P BQ
= 4RCQ
= 4RDS.

It follows that P S = P Q = QR = RS and that P QRS is a rhombus.

Therefore, P S k QR and P Q k SR.
Using the formula area triangle = baseheight
2 , then
AP AS 86
area 4AP S = 2 = 2 = 24 m2 . Then, since the triangles are congruent,
area 4BP Q = area 4RQC = area 4SDR = area 4AP S = 24 m2 .
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Thus,
area P QRS
= area ABCD area 4AP S area 4BP Q area 4RQC area 4SDR
= 192 24 24 24 24
= 96 m2
Since A = 90 , we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find
P S 2 = AP 2 + AS 2 = 82 + 62 = 100, and so P S = 10 m since P S > 0. Since T
is the midpoint of P S, P T = T S = 5 m. Since P S = QR, QR = 10 m.
A P B
T
S h Q

D R C

Let h be the height of 4RQT corresponding to base QR. Therefore, h QR.

But P S k QR so h is also perpendicular to P S and thus h is also a height for
4P QT and 4ST R corresponding to bases P T and T S, respectively.
Therefore,
area P QRS = area 4P QT + area 4ST R + area 4QRT
P T h ST h RQ h
= + +
2 2 2
5 h 5 h 10 h
= + +
2 2 2
= 10h
Since we already found area P QRS = 96 m2 , we have 10h = 96 and so
h = 9.6 m.
RQ h 10 9.6
Therefore, area 4QRT = = = 48 m2 .
2 2
area 4QRT 48 1
Thus, = = .
area ABCD 192 4
Therefore, one-quarter of the rectangular garden has nothing planted in it.

Extension: Suppose that we do not know the lengths of AB and BC. Let
AB = x and BC = y and the other information given in the problem remains
the same. Show that 4RQT still occupies 41 of the area of ABCD, regardless
of the values of x and y.
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y P(8,12) B(16,12)
Solution 2 A(0,12)
T(4,9) U(16,9)

S(0,6) Q(16,6)

x
D(0,0) V(4,0) R(8,0) C(16,0)

Since ABCD is a rectangle, area ABCD = AB BC = 16 12 = 192 m2 .

Position rectangle ABCD with D at the origin, C on the x-axis at (16, 0), and
A on the y-axis at (0, 12). Then B is located at (16, 12).
Since P is the midpoint of AB, the coordinates of P are (8, 12).
Since Q is the midpoint of BC, the coordinates of Q are (16, 6).
Since R is the midpoint of CD, the coordinates of R are (8, 0).
Since S is the midpoint of AD, the coordinates of S are (0, 6).
We can use the midpoint formula to find T , the midpoint of P S.
8+0 12+6


T is at 2 , 2 = (4, 9).
Drop a perpendicular from T (4, 9) intersecting the x-axis at V (4, 0). T V is a
vertical line 9 m long.
Draw a perpendicular from T (4, 9) intersecting BC at U (16, 9). T U is a
horizontal line 12 units long. This construction creates rectangle T U CV with
sides 12 m and 9 m. The area of rectangle T U CV is 12 9 = 108 m2 .
To find the area of 4QRT , determine the area of rectangle T U CV and
subtract the area of three right triangles, 4T U Q, 4QCR and 4T V R.
T U U Q 12 3
area 4T U Q = = = 18 m2
2 2
QC RC 68
area 4QCR = = = 24 m2
2 2
TV V R 9 4
area 4T V R = = = 18 m2
2 2
area 4QRT = area T U CV area 4T U Q area 4QCR area 4T V R
= 108 18 24 18
= 48 m2
area 4QRT 48 1
Thus, = = .
area ABCD 192 4
Therefore, one-quarter of the rectangular garden has nothing planted in it.