Five circles are arranged in the following fashion ( Two rows of 3 circles in square arrangement with one end circle removed from the top row ). Circles are of same diameter and touching adjoining circles as per the diagram. Draw a line passing through A ( Centre of the first circle on the bottom row ) in such a way that it divides the five circles into two equal areas.

                           *                 *
                      *         *       *         *
                    *             *   *             *
                   *               * *               *
                  *                 *                 *
                   *               * *               *
                    *             *   *             *
                      *         *       *         *
         *                 *                 *
    *         *       *         *       *         *
  *             *   *             *   *             *
 *               * *               * *               *
*        A        *                 *                 *
 *               * *               * *               *
  *             *   *             *   *             *
    *         *       *         *       *         *
         *                 *                 *
       
      

(In reply to re: Equation spoiler by Richard)

> Your equation looks to be correct if the circles have radius 1

??  It is correct anyway; scaling the circles does not change the equation for the line if A remains the origin.  The scale applies to both x and y and cancels out in the slope; otherwise we'd get ellipses.

Posted by vswitchs on 2006-08-26 12:34:39