Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /4 of 4

, 2020

Geometry Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it Netherlands

In an acute triangle ABCABC the foot of the altitude from AA is called DD. Let D1D_1 and D2D_2 be reflections of DD in ABAB and ACAC, respectively. The intersection of BCBC and the line through D1D_1 parallel to ABAB, is called E1E_1. The intersection of BCBC and the line through D2D_2 parallel to ACAC, is called E2E_2. Prove that D1,D2,E1D_1, D_2, E_1, and E2E_2 lie on a circle whose centre lies on the circumcircle of ABC\triangle ABC.

Solution

Let KK be the midpoint of DD1DD_1, and let LL be the midpoint of DD2DD_2. Then KK lies on ABAB and LL lies on ACAC. Because AKD=90=ALD\angle AKD = 90^\circ = \angle ALD, the quadrilateral AKDLAKDL is cyclic. Hence, DLK=DAK=DAB=90ABC\angle DLK = \angle DAK = \angle DAB = 90^\circ - \angle ABC. Moreover, KLKL is a midsegment in triangle DD1D2DD_1D_2, hence DLK=DD2D1\angle DLK = \angle DD_2D_1. We conclude that DD2D1=90ABC\angle DD_2D_1 = 90^\circ - \angle ABC.

Because ACDD2AC \perp DD_2 and D2E2ACD_2E_2 \parallel AC, we have DD2E2=90\angle DD_2E_2 = 90^\circ. Hence, D1D2E2=D1D2D+DD2E2=90ABC+90=180ABC\angle D_1D_2E_2 = \angle D_1D_2D + \angle DD_2E_2 = 90^\circ - \angle ABC + 90^\circ = 180^\circ - \angle ABC. On the other hand, as D1E1ABD_1E_1 \parallel AB, we have D1E1E2=ABC\angle D_1E_1E_2 = \angle ABC, hence we get D1D2E2=180D1E1E2\angle D_1D_2E_2 = 180^\circ - \angle D_1E_1E_2. We conclude that D1E1E2D2D_1E_1E_2D_2 is a cyclic quadrilateral.

Let MM be the point such that AMAM is a diameter of the circumcircle of ABC\triangle ABC. Thales' theorem yields ACM=90\angle ACM = 90^\circ. Hence, CMACCM \perp AC, which yields CMD2E2CM \perp D_2E_2 and CMDD2CM \parallel DD_2. Moreover, LL is the midpoint of DD2DD_2 and LCD2E2LC \parallel D_2E_2, hence LCLC is a midsegment in triangle DD2E2DD_2E_2. This means that CC is the midpoint of DE2DE_2. Because CMDD2CM \parallel DD_2, we get that CMCM is also a midsegment, hence CMCM intersects D2E2D_2E_2 in the middle. As CMD2E2CM \perp D_2E_2, the line CMCM is the perpendicular bisector of D2E2D_2E_2. Analogously, we get that BMBM is the perpendicular bisector of D1E1D_1E_1. Hence, MM is the intersection point of the perpendicular bisectors of two of the chords of the circle through D1,D2,E1D_1, D_2, E_1, and E2E_2. Hence, MM is the centre of this circle. \square

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.