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Geometry Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it Russia

Let PP be a point lying inside triangle ABCABC. Let QQ be a point on the segment ABAB, and let RR be a point on the segment ACAC such that both circles (BPQBPQ) and (CPRCPR) are tangent to line APAP. Through BB and CC we draw the lines passing through the center of the circle (BPCBPC), and through QQ and RR we draw the lines passing through the center of the circle (PQRPQR). Prove that there exist a circle tangent to the four drawn lines.

Solution

Since ABAQ=AP2=ACARAB \cdot AQ = AP^2 = AC \cdot AR, quadrilateral BCRQBCRQ is cyclic. Let OO be the center of circle (BCRQBCRQ). Denote by O1O_1 and O2O_2 the centers of circles (BPCBPC) and (QPRQPR). We will show that lines BO1BO_1, CO1CO_1, QO2QO_2, RO2RO_2 are equidistant from OO. Since OB=OC=OQ=OROB = OC = OQ = OR, it suffices to establish the equality of (directed) angles OCO1=O1BO=OQO2=O2RO\angle OCO_1 = \angle O_1BO = \angle OQO_2 = \angle O_2RO. Here the first and last equalities are obvious from symmetry about the perpendicular bisectors of BCBC and QRQR.

Figure 1
Рис. 5

It remains to prove the equality O1BO=OQO2\angle O_1BO = \angle OQO_2 (*). By angle chasing we obtain OQO2=OQRO2QR=(90RCQ)(90RPQ)=RPQRCQ\angle OQO_2 = \angle OQR - \angle O_2QR = (90^\circ - \angle RCQ) - (90^\circ - \angle RPQ) = \angle RPQ - \angle RCQ. Similarly O1BO=BPCBQC\angle O_1BO = \angle BPC - \angle BQC. Thus, (*) is equivalent to the equality RPQRCQ=BPCBQC\angle RPQ - \angle RCQ = \angle BPC - \angle BQC or BQCRCQ=BPCRPQ\angle BQC - \angle RCQ = \angle BPC - \angle RPQ (**). From the tangency of circles (BPQBPQ) and (CPRCPR) it follows that RPQ=RCP+PBQ\angle RPQ = \angle RCP + \angle PBQ, which equals (from the sum of angles in quadrilateral BPCABPCA) BPCBAC\angle BPC - \angle BAC. Therefore, (**), transforms into BQCRCQ=BAC\angle BQC - \angle RCQ = \angle BAC, which holds true. The problem is solved.

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