Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /2 of 3

Geometry Difficulty 6.5 National olympiad Prove it Silk Road Mathematics Competition

Let ABCDABCD be a quadrilateral inscribed in a circle ω\omega. Its diagonals ACAC and BDBD intersect at the point OO. Let EE and FF be points on the segments AOAO and DODO respectively. The line EFEF intersects ω\omega at the points E1E_1 and F1F_1. Circumcircles of triangles ADEADE and BCFBCF intersect the line EFEF at the points E2E_2, F2F_2 respectively. Prove that E1E2=F1F2E_1E_2 = F_1F_2.

Solution

It is enough to show that points E2E_2 and F2F_2 are symmetrical with respect to the middle of the chord E1F1E_1F_1. In order to ignore cases of mutual arrangement of points, lines and circles, we use oriented angles. Let MM be the center of circle ω\omega. Denote the intersection point of lines DE2DE_2 and CF2CF_2 as KK, and let (AD,AC)=α\angle(AD, AC) = \alpha. Then lines E2F2E_2F_2, KE2KE_2 and KF2KF_2 form an isosceles triangle, since (E2K,E2F2)=(F2E2,F2K)=α\angle(E_2K, E_2F_2) = \angle(F_2E_2, F_2K) = \alpha. Then, the exterior angle at vertex KK in this triangle equals 2α2\alpha. Since points KK and MM lie on one side of the line CDCD and CMD=2α\angle CMD = 2\alpha, then points CC, MM, DD and KK lie on one circle. Since triangle CMDCMD is isosceles, we have: (KM,KD)=(CM,CD)=90α\angle(KM, KD) = \angle(CM, CD) = 90^\circ - \alpha or (KM,F2E2)=(KM,KD)+(KD,F2E2)=90\angle(KM, F_2E_2) = \angle(KM, KD) + \angle(KD, F_2E_2) = 90^\circ. Then, we have that KMKM passes through the center of circle ω\omega and is perpendicular to the chord E1F1E_1F_1, as well as splits segment E2F2E_2F_2 in half. Hence, pairs of points E2,F2E_2, F_2 and E1,F1E_1, F_1 are symmetrical with respect to the middle of the chord E1F1E_1F_1. Proved.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.