Consider a (right) square pyramid $ABCDV$ with the apex $V$ and the base (square) $ABCD$. Denote $d=AB/2$ and $\varphi$ the dihedral angle between planes $VAD$ and $ABC$. (1) Consider a line $XY$ connecting the skew lines $VA$ and $BC$, where $X$ lies on line $VA$ and $Y$ lies on line $BC$. Describe a construction of line $XY$ such that the segment $XY$ is of the smallest possible length. Compute the length of segment $XY$ in terms of $d,\varphi$. (2) Compute the distance $v$ between points $V$ and $X$ in terms of $d,\varphi.$

Let $ABCD$ and $ABEF$ be two squares situated in two perpendicular planes and let $O$ be the intersection of the lines $AE$ and $BF$. If $AB=4$ compute: a) the distance from $B$ to the line of intersection between the planes $(DOC)$ and $(DAF)$; b) the distance between the lines $AC$ and $BF$.

Prove that a pyramid $A_1A_2 \ldots A_{2k+1}S$ with equal lateral edges and equal space angles between adjacent lateral walls is regular.

Each cell of a beehive is constructed from a right regular 6-angled prism, open at the bottom and closed on the top by a regular 3-sided pyramidical mantle. The edges of this pyramid are connected to three of the rising edges of the prism and its apex $T$ is on the perpendicular line through the center $O$ of the base of the prism (see figure). Let $s$ denote the side of the base, $h$ the height of the cell and $\theta$ the angle between the line $TO$ and $TV$. (a) Prove that the surface of the cell consists of 6 congruent trapezoids and 3 congruent rhombi. (b) the total surface area of the cell is given by the formula $6sh - \dfrac{9s^2}{2\tan\theta} + \dfrac{s^2 3\sqrt{3}}{2\sin\theta}$ [img]http://www.mathlinks.ro/Forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=286[/img]

Let $VABC$ be a regular triangular pyramid with base $ABC$, of center $O$. Points $I$ and $H$ are the center of the inscribed circle, respectively the orthocenter $\vartriangle VBC$. Knowing that $AH = 3 OI$, determine the measure of the angle between the lateral edge of the pyramid and the plane of the base.

Show that for $n\ge 5$, a cross-section of a pyramid whose base is a regular $n$-gon cannot be a regular $(n + 1)$-gon. [i]N. Agakhanov, N. Tereshin[/i]

The centers of the faces of the right rectangular prism shown below are joined to create an octahedron, What is the volume of the octahedron? [asy] import three; size(2inch); currentprojection=orthographic(4,2,2); draw((0,0,0)--(0,0,3),dashed); draw((0,0,0)--(0,4,0),dashed); draw((0,0,0)--(5,0,0),dashed); draw((5,4,3)--(5,0,3)--(5,0,0)--(5,4,0)--(0,4,0)--(0,4,3)--(0,0,3)--(5,0,3)); draw((0,4,3)--(5,4,3)--(5,4,0)); label("3",(5,0,3)--(5,0,0),W); label("4",(5,0,0)--(5,4,0),S); label("5",(5,4,0)--(0,4,0),SE); [/asy] $\textbf{(A) } \dfrac{75}{12} \qquad\textbf{(B) } 10 \qquad\textbf{(C) } 12 \qquad\textbf{(D) } 10\sqrt2 \qquad\textbf{(E) } 15 $

Given any triangle $ABC$ and any positive integer $n$, we say that $n$ is a [i]decomposable[/i] number for triangle $ABC$ if there exists a decomposition of the triangle $ABC$ into $n$ subtriangles with each subtriangle similar to $\triangle ABC$. Determine the positive integers that are decomposable numbers for every triangle.

In a pyramid $SABCD$ with the base $ABCD$ the triangles $ABD$ and $BCD$ have equal areas. Points $M,N,P,Q$ are the midpoints of the edges $AB,AD,SC,SD$ respectively. Find the ratio between the volumes of the pyramids $SABCD$ and $MNPQ$.

Prove that among any five distinct rays $ Ox$, $ Oy$, $ Oz$, $ Ot$, $ Or$ in space there exist two which form an angle less than or equal to $ 90^{\circ}$.

Five edges of a triangular pyramid are equal to $1$. Find the sixth edge if it is known that the radius of the ball circumscribed about this pyramid is equal to $1$.

A pyramid with a square base is cut by a plane that is parallel to its base and is $ 2$ units from the base. The surface area of the smaller pyramid that is cut from the top is half the surface area of the original pyramid. What is the altitude of the original pyramid? $ \textbf{(A)}\ 2\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 2 \plus{} \sqrt{2}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 1 \plus{} 2\sqrt{2}\qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 4\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 4 \plus{} 2\sqrt{2}$

Square pyramid $ABCDE$ has base $ABCD,$ which measures $3$ cm on a side, and altitude $\overline{AE}$ perpendicular to the base$,$ which measures $6$ cm. Point $P$ lies on $\overline{BE},$ one third of the way from $B$ to $E;$ point $Q$ lies on $\overline{DE},$ one third of the way from $D$ to $E;$ and point $R$ lies on $\overline{CE},$ two thirds of the way from $C$ to $E.$ What is the area, in square centimeters, of $\triangle PQR?$ $\textbf{(A) } \frac{3\sqrt2}{2} \qquad\textbf{(B) } \frac{3\sqrt3}{2} \qquad\textbf{(C) } 2\sqrt2 \qquad\textbf{(D) } 2\sqrt3 \qquad\textbf{(E) } 3\sqrt2$

Let $MABCD$ be a pyramid with the square $ABCD$ as the base, in which $MA=MD$, $MA^2+AB^2=MB^2$ and the area of $\triangle ADM$ is equal to $1$. Determine the radius of the largest ball that is contained in the given pyramid.

A quadrilateral pyramid is cut by a plane parallel to the base. Suppose that a sphere $S$ is circumscribed and a sphere $\Sigma$ inscribed in the obtained solid, and moreover that the line through the centers of these two spheres is perpendicular to the base of the pyramid. Show that the pyramid is regular.

In $\triangle ABC$, $\angle C=90^{\circ},\angle B=30^{\circ}, AC=2$. $M$ is the midpoint of $AB$. Fold up $\triangle ACM$ along $CM$, satisfying that $|AB|=2\sqrt2$. The volume of triangular pyramid $A-BCM$ is________.

Consider a circular cone with vertex $ V$, and let $ ABC$ be a triangle inscribed in the base of the cone, such that $ AB$ is a diameter and $ AC \equal{} BC$. Let $ L$ be a point on $ BV$ such that the volume of the cone is 4 times the volume of the tetrahedron $ ABCL$. Find the value of $ BL/LV$.