Let C(α,β) be the circumcenter of the triangle formed by the lines 4x+3y=69 4y−3x=17 and x+7y=61
Then (α−β)2+α+β is equal to
(A)18
(B)17✓ Correct
(C)16
(D)15
Answer: (B)
Solution
The vertices are the pairwise intersections of the lines: solving 4x+3y=69 with 4y−3x=17 gives (9,11); 4x+3y=69 with x+7y=61 gives (12,7); and 4y−3x=17 with x+7y=61 gives (5,8).
The lines 4x+3y=69 and 4y−3x=17 have normals (4,3) and (−3,4) with (4)(−3)+(3)(4)=0, so they are perpendicular and the triangle is right-angled at (9,11). For a right triangle the circumcentre is the midpoint of the hypotenuse, which joins (12,7) and (5,8):