Let H be the orthocenter of an acute triangle ABC. The circumcircle of △BCH intersects AB and AC again at points A1 and A2 respectively. Define points B1,B2,C1 and C2 analogously. Prove that the circumcenter of the triangle formed by lines A1A2,B1B2, and C1C2 is on the Euler line with respect to △ABC.
Solution
Let D,E, and F be the feet of the altitudes from A,B, and C, respectively with respect to △ABC. Let B1B2 intersect C1C2 at K, C1C2 intersects A1A2 at L, and A1A2 intersects B1B2 at M. Let O be the circumcenter of △ABC. ---
We have ∠(KL,DE)=∠(KL,BC)+∠(BC,DE)=∠(C1C2,C2B)+∠(BD,DE)=∠(C1A,AB)+∠(BA,AE)=∠(CA,AB)+∠(AB,CA)=0 Thus, KL∥DE, so LM∥EF and MK∥FD analogously. Therefore, there is a homothety sending △DEF to △KLM. Call its center X. Consider ∠(FD,DH)=∠(FB,BH)=∠(FB,BE)=∠(FC,CE)=∠(HC,CE)=∠(HD,DE) Thus, HD is an angle bisector of ∠FDE. Similarly, we can show that HE and HF are angle bisectors of ∠DEF and ∠EFD, respectively. Hence, H is either the incenter or an excenter of △DEF. Since △ABC is acute, we observe that H is
inside △DEF, and thus H must be the incenter of △DEF. We have ∠(HC2,C2C)=∠(HC2,C2B)=∠(HA,AB)=∠(DA,AF)=∠(DC,CF)=∠(C2C,CH) Thus, C2D=DC, so B1D=DB, A2E=EA, C1E=EC, B2F=FB, and A1F=FA analogously (where XY denotes the vector XY). We have ∠(KC2,C2B1)=∠(ED,DB)=∠(EA,AB)=∠(CA,AF)=∠(CD,DF)=∠(C2B1,B1K) Thus, the internal angle bisector of ∠MKL is the perpendicular bisector of B1C2. Since B1C2 is the image of BC reflected about HD and the perpendicular bisector of BC passes through O, the perpendicular bisector of B1C2 passes through the reflection of O about H, which we denote O′. Similarly, the internal angle bisectors of ∠KLM and ∠LMK also pass through O′. Therefore, O′ is the incenter of △KLM. The incenters of △DEF and △KLM both are on ℓ, the Euler line of △ABC, so X lies on ℓ. Since the circumcenter of △DEF (the nine point center of △ABC) lies on ℓ, and X lies on ℓ, the circumcenter of △KLM also lies on ℓ, as required.
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