A circle with center $O$ has area $156\pi$. Triangle $ABC$ is equilateral, $\overline{BC}$ is a chord on the circle, $OA = 4\sqrt{3}$, and point $O$ is outside $\triangle ABC$. What is the side length of $\triangle ABC$?
$\textbf{(A)}\ 2\sqrt{3} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 6 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 4\sqrt{3} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 12 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 18$
The formula for the area of a circle is $\pi r^2$ so the radius of this circle is $\sqrt{156}.$
Because $OA=4\sqrt{3} < \sqrt{156}, A$ must be in the interior of circle $O.$


Let $s$ be the unknown value, the sidelength of the triangle, and let $X$ be the point on $BC$ where $OX \perp BC.$ Since $\triangle ABC$ is equilateral, $BX=\frac{s}{2}$ and $AX=\frac{s\sqrt{3}}{2}.$ We are given $AO=4\sqrt{3}.$ Use the [Pythagorean Theorem](https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/Pythagorean_Theorem) and solve for $s.$
\begin{align*} (\sqrt{156})^2 &= \left(\frac{s}{2}\right)^2 + \left( \frac{s\sqrt{3}}{2} + 4\sqrt{3} \right)^2\\ 156 &= \frac14s^2 + \frac34s^2 + 12s + 48\\ 0 &= s^2 + 12s - 108\\ 0 &= (s-6)(s+18)\\ s &= \boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 6} \end{align*}