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Geometry Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it United States

Let ABCABC be a scalene triangle and let PP and QQ be two distinct points in its interior. Suppose that the angle bisectors of ∠PAQ\angle PAQ, ∠PBQ\angle PBQ, and ∠PCQ\angle PCQ are the altitudes of triangle ABCABC. Prove that the midpoint of PQ‾\overline{PQ} lies on the Euler line of ABCABC.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

Let HH be the orthocenter of ABCABC, and construct P′P' using the following claim.

Claim — There is a point P′P' for which
∠APH+∠AP′H=∠BPH+∠BP′H=∠CPH+∠CP′H=0. \angle APH + \angle AP'H = \angle BPH + \angle BP'H = \angle CPH + \angle CP'H = 0.

Proof. After inversion at HH, this is equivalent to the fact that PP's image has an isogonal conjugate in ABCABC's image. □\square

Now, let XX, YY, and ZZ be the reflections of PP over AH‾\overline{AH}, BH‾\overline{BH}, and CH‾\overline{CH} respectively. Additionally, let Q′Q' be the image of QQ under inversion about (PXYZ)(PXYZ).

Figure 1

Claim — ABCP′∼XYZQ′ABCP' \sim XYZQ'.

Proof. Since
∠YXZ=∠YPZ=∠(BH‾,CH‾)=−∠BAC \angle YXZ = \angle YPZ = \angle (\overline{BH}, \overline{CH}) = -\angle BAC
and cyclic variants, triangles ABCABC and XYZXYZ are similar. Additionally,
∠HQ′X=−∠HXQ=−∠HXA=∠HPA=−∠HP′A \angle HQ'X = -\angle HXQ = -\angle HXA = \angle HPA = -\angle HP'A
and cyclic variants, so summing in pairs gives ∠YQ′Z=−∠BP′C\angle YQ'Z = -\angle BP'C and cyclic variants; this implies the similarity. □\square

Claim — Q′Q' lies on the Euler line of triangle XYZXYZ.

Proof. Let OO be the circumcenter of ABCABC so that ABCOP′∼XYZHQ′ABCOP' \sim XYZHQ'. Then ∠HP′A=−∠HQ′X=∠OP′A\angle HP'A = -\angle HQ'X = \angle OP'A, so P′P' lies on OH‾\overline{OH}. By the similarity, Q′Q' must lie on the Euler line of XYZXYZ. □\square

To finish the problem, let G1G_1 be the centroid of ABCABC and G2G_2 be the centroid of XYZXYZ. Then with signed areas,
[G1HP]+[G1HQ]=[AHP]+[BHP]+[CHP]3+[AHQ]+[BHQ]+[CHQ]3=[AHQ]−[AHX]+[BHQ]−[BHY]+[CHQ]−[CHZ]3=[HQX]+[HQY]+[HQZ]3=[QG2H]=0 \begin{aligned} [G_1HP] + [G_1HQ] &= \frac{[AHP] + [BHP] + [CHP]}{3} + \frac{[AHQ] + [BHQ] + [CHQ]}{3} \\ &= \frac{[AHQ] - [AHX] + [BHQ] - [BHY] + [CHQ] - [CHZ]}{3} \\ &= \frac{[HQX] + [HQY] + [HQZ]}{3} \\ &= [QG_2H] \\ &= 0 \end{aligned}

where the last line follows from the last claim. Therefore G1H‾\overline{G_1H} bisects PQ‾\overline{PQ}, as desired.

Remark. This solution characterizes the set of all points PP for which such a point QQ exists. It is the image of the Euler line under the mapping described in the first claim.

Solution 2

Let (ABC)(ABC) be the unit circle in the complex plane, and let A=aA = a, B=bB = b, C=cC = c such that ∣a∣=∣b∣=∣c∣=1|a| = |b| = |c| = 1. Let P=pP = p and Q=qQ = q, and O=0O = 0 and H=h=a+b+cH = h = a + b + c be the circumcenter and orthocenter of ABCABC respectively.

The first step is to translate the given geometric conditions into a single usable equation:

Claim — We have the equation
(p+q)∑cyca3(b2−c2)=(pˉ+qˉ)abc∑cyc(bc(b2−c2)).(1) (p+q) \sum_{\text{cyc}} a^3(b^2-c^2) = (\bar{p}+\bar{q})abc \sum_{\text{cyc}} (bc(b^2-c^2)). \quad (1)

Proof. The condition that the altitude AH‾\overline{AH} bisects ∠PAQ\angle PAQ is equivalent to
(p−a)(q−a)(h−a)2=(p−a)(q−a)(b+c)2∈R  ⟹  (p−a)(q−a)(b+c)2=((p−a)(q−a)(b+c)2)‾=(apˉ−1)(aqˉ−1)b2c2(b+c)2a2  ⟹  a2(p−a)(q−a)=b2c2(apˉ−1)(aqˉ−1)  ⟹  a2pq−a2b2c2pqˉ‾+(a4−b2c2)=a3(p+q)−ab2c2(pˉ+qˉ). \begin{aligned} \frac{(p-a)(q-a)}{(h-a)^2} &= \frac{(p-a)(q-a)}{(b+c)^2} \in \mathbb{R} \\ \implies \frac{(p-a)(q-a)}{(b+c)^2} &= \overline{\left(\frac{(p-a)(q-a)}{(b+c)^2}\right)} = \frac{(a\bar{p}-1)(a\bar{q}-1)b^2c^2}{(b+c)^2a^2} \\ \implies a^2(p-a)(q-a) &= b^2c^2(a\bar{p}-1)(a\bar{q}-1) \\ \implies a^2pq - a^2b^2c^2\overline{p\bar{q}} + (a^4 - b^2c^2) &= a^3(p+q) - ab^2c^2(\bar{p}+\bar{q}). \end{aligned}

Writing the symmetric conditions that BH‾\overline{BH} and CH‾\overline{CH} bisect ∠PBQ\angle PBQ and ∠PCQ\angle PCQ gives three equations:
a2pq−a2b2c2pqˉ‾+(a4−b2c2)=a3(p+q)−ab2c2(pˉ+qˉ)b2pq−a2b2c2pqˉ‾+(b4−c2a2)=b3(p+q)−bc2a2(pˉ+qˉ)c2pq−a2b2c2pq‾+(c4−a2b2)=c3(p+q)−ca2b2(p‾+q‾). \begin{aligned} a^2pq - a^2b^2c^2\overline{p\bar{q}} + (a^4 - b^2c^2) &= a^3(p+q) - ab^2c^2(\bar{p}+\bar{q}) \\ b^2pq - a^2b^2c^2\overline{p\bar{q}} + (b^4 - c^2a^2) &= b^3(p+q) - bc^2a^2(\bar{p}+\bar{q}) \\ c^2pq - a^2b^2c^2\overline{pq} + (c^4 - a^2b^2) &= c^3(p+q) - ca^2b^2(\overline{p} + \overline{q}). \end{aligned}

Now, sum (b2−c2)(b^2 - c^2) times the first equation, (c2−a2)(c^2 - a^2) times the second equation, and (a2−b2)(a^2 - b^2) times the third equation. On the left side, the coefficients of pqpq and pq‾\overline{pq} are 0. Additionally, the coefficient of 1 (the parenthesized terms on the left sides of each equation) sum to 0, since
∑cyc(a4−b2c2)(b2−c2)=∑cyc(a4b2−b4c2−a4c2+c4b2). \sum_{\text{cyc}} (a^4 - b^2c^2)(b^2 - c^2) = \sum_{\text{cyc}} (a^4b^2 - b^4c^2 - a^4c^2 + c^4b^2).
This gives (1) as desired.

We can then factor (1):

Claim — The left-hand side of (1) factors as
−(p+q)(a−b)(b−c)(c−a)(ab+bc+ca) -(p+q)(a-b)(b-c)(c-a)(ab+bc+ca)
while the right-hand side factors as
−(pˉ+qˉ)(a−b)(b−c)(c−a)(a+b+c). -(\bar{p} + \bar{q})(a - b)(b - c)(c - a)(a + b + c).

Proof. This can of course be verified by direct expansion, but here is a slightly more economic indirect proof.
Consider the cyclic sum on the left as a polynomial in aa, bb, and cc. If a=ba = b, then it simplifies as a3(a2−c2)+a3(c2−a2)+c3(a2−a2)=0a^3(a^2 - c^2) + a^3(c^2 - a^2) + c^3(a^2 - a^2) = 0, so a−ba - b divides this polynomial. Similarly, a−ca - c and b−cb - c divide it, so it can be written as f(a,b,c)(a−b)(b−c)(c−a)f(a, b, c)(a - b)(b - c)(c - a) for some symmetric quadratic polynomial ff, and thus it is some linear combination of a2+b2+c2a^2 + b^2 + c^2 and ab+bc+caab + bc + ca. When a=0a = 0, the whole expression is b2c2(b−c)b^2c^2(b - c), so f(0,b,c)=−bcf(0, b, c) = -bc, which implies that f(a,b,c)=−(ab+bc+ca)f(a, b, c) = -(ab + bc + ca).
Similarly, consider the cyclic sum on the right as a polynomial in aa, bb, and cc. If a=ba = b, then it simplifies as ac(a2−c2)+ca(c2−a2)+a2(a2−a2)=0ac(a^2 - c^2) + ca(c^2 - a^2) + a^2(a^2 - a^2) = 0, so a−ba - b divides this polynomial. Similarly, a−ca - c and b−cb - c divide it, so it can be written as g(a,b,c)(a−b)(b−c)(c−a)g(a, b, c)(a - b)(b - c)(c - a) where gg is a symmetric linear polynomial; hence, it is a scalar multiple of a+b+ca+b+c. When a=0a = 0, the whole expression is bc(b2−c2)bc(b^2 - c^2), so g(0,b,c)=−b−cg(0, b, c) = -b-c, which implies that g(a,b,c)=−(a+b+c)g(a, b, c) = -(a + b + c). □\square

Since AA, BB, and CC are distinct, we may divide by (a−b)(b−c)(c−a)(a-b)(b-c)(c-a) to obtain
(p+q)(ab+bc+ca)=(pˉ+qˉ)abc(a+b+c)  ⟹  (p+q)hˉ=(pˉ+qˉ)h. (p+q)(ab+bc+ca) = (\bar{p}+\bar{q})abc(a+b+c) \implies (p+q)\bar{h} = (\bar{p}+\bar{q})h.

This implies that p+qh−0\frac{p+q}{h-0} is real, so the midpoint of PQ‾\overline{PQ} lies on line OH‾\overline{OH}.

Solution 3

We use complex numbers as in the previous solution. The angle conditions imply that (a−p)(a−q)(b−c)2\frac{(a-p)(a-q)}{(b-c)^2}, (b−p)(b−q)(c−a)2\frac{(b-p)(b-q)}{(c-a)^2}, and (c−p)(c−q)(a−b)2\frac{(c-p)(c-q)}{(a-b)^2} are real numbers. Take a linear combination of these with real coefficients XX, YY, and ZZ to be determined; after expansion, we obtain
[X(b−c)2+Y(c−a)2+Z(a−b)2]pq−[aX(b−c)2+bY(c−a)2+cZ(a−b)2](p+q) \left[ \frac{X}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{Y}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{Z}{(a-b)^2} \right] pq - \left[ \frac{aX}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{bY}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{cZ}{(a-b)^2} \right] (p+q)
+[a2X(b−c)2+b2Y(c−a)2+c2Z(a−b)2] + \left[ \frac{a^2 X}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{b^2 Y}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{c^2 Z}{(a-b)^2} \right]
which is a real number. To get something about the midpoint of PQPQ, the pqpq coefficient should be zero, which motivates the following lemma.

Lemma
There exist real XX, YY, ZZ for which
X(b−c)2+Y(c−a)2+Z(a−b)2=0 and \frac{X}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{Y}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{Z}{(a-b)^2} = 0 \text{ and}
aX(b−c)2+bY(c−a)2+cZ(a−b)2≠0. \frac{aX}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{bY}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{cZ}{(a-b)^2} \neq 0.

Proof. Since C\mathbb{C} is a 2-dimensional vector space over R\mathbb{R}, there exist real XX, YY, ZZ such that (X,Y,Z)≠(0,0,0)(X, Y, Z) \neq (0, 0, 0) and the first condition holds. Suppose for the sake of contradiction that aX(b−c)2+bY(c−a)2+cZ(a−b)2=0\frac{aX}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{bY}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{cZ}{(a-b)^2} = 0. Then
(b−a)Y(c−a)2+(c−a)Z(a−b)2=aX(b−c)2+bY(c−a)2+cZ(a−b)2−a(X(b−c)2+Y(c−a)2+Z(a−b)2)=0. \begin{align*} & \frac{(b-a)Y}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{(c-a)Z}{(a-b)^2} \\ &= \frac{aX}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{bY}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{cZ}{(a-b)^2} - a \left( \frac{X}{(b-c)^2} + \frac{Y}{(c-a)^2} + \frac{Z}{(a-b)^2} \right) \\ &= 0. \end{align*}
We can easily check that (Y,Z)=(0,0)(Y, Z) = (0, 0) is impossible, therefore (b−a)3(c−a)3=−ZY\frac{(b-a)^3}{(c-a)^3} = -\frac{Z}{Y} is real. This means ∠BAC=60∘\angle BAC = 60^\circ or 120∘120^\circ. By symmetry, the same is true of ∠CBA\angle CBA and ∠ACB\angle ACB. This is impossible because ABCABC is scalene. □\square

With the choice of XX, YY, ZZ as in the lemma, there exist complex numbers α\alpha and β\beta, depending only on aa, bb, and cc, such that α≠0\alpha \neq 0 and α(p+q)+β\alpha(p+q) + \beta is real. Therefore the midpoint of PQPQ, which corresponds to p+q2\frac{p+q}{2}, lies on a fixed line. It remains to show that this line is the Euler line. First, choose P=QP = Q to be the orthocenter to show that the orthocenter lies on the line. Secondly, choose PP and QQ to be the foci of the Steiner circumellipse to show that the centroid lies on the line. (By some ellipse properties, the external angle bisector of ∠PAQ\angle PAQ is the tangent to the circumellipse at AA, which is the line through AA parallel to BCBC. Therefore these points are valid.) Therefore the fixed line of the midpoint is the Euler line.

Remark. This solution does not require fixing the origin of the complex plane or setting (ABC)(ABC) to be the unit circle.

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