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Iranian Mathematical Olympiad

Geometry Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it Iran

In triangle ABC the points N and M are on the side BCBC such that ∠BAM=∠MAN=∠NAC\angle BAM = \angle MAN = \angle NAC. The points P and Q are on the angle bisector such that A, P, and Q are all on the same side with respect to BCBC and 13∠BAC=12∠BPC=∠BQC\frac{1}{3}\angle BAC = \frac{1}{2}\angle BPC = \angle BQC. Let AMAM and CQCQ meet at EE and ANAN and BQBQ meet at FF, prove that the common tangents of the circumcircles of FPEFPE and FQEFQE intersect on the circumcircle of ABCABC.

Solution

We shall prove the following lemma.

Figure 1

Lemma 1. *The points EE, FF, BB, and CC are on a circle centered at T′T'.*

Proof. An easy angle chasing shows that BAEQBAEQ and CAFQCAFQ are indeed cyclic.
Thus,
∠FBE=∠QBE=∠QAE=∠QAF=∠QCF=∠FCE. \angle FBE = \angle QBE = \angle QAE = \angle QAF = \angle QCF = \angle FCE.
Yielding EFBCEFBC is cyclic. Then,
∠BEC=∠BQE+∠EBQ=α+∠FBE=α+∠QBF=3α2 \angle BEC = \angle BQE + \angle EBQ = \alpha + \angle FBE = \alpha + \angle QBF = \frac{3\alpha}{2}
and
∠BT′C=∠BAC=3α=2∠BEC \angle BT'C = \angle BAC = 3\alpha = 2\angle BEC
And
BT′=CT′. BT' = CT'.

Now, we need the following lemma;

Lemma 2. *The quadrilateral EFA′TEFA'T is cyclic*

Proof. According to the above-mentioned lemma; ∠FT′E=2∠FBE=2∠QBF=2∠QAE=∠EAF\angle FT'E = 2\angle FBE = 2\angle QBF = 2\angle QAE = \angle EAF. This completes our proof.

Figure 2

Thus the radical axis of AT′EFAT'EF, AT′CBAT'CB, and EFBCEFBC are concurrent. Let GG be the foot of ex-angle bisector of ∠BAC\angle BAC, and assume BEBE and CFCF meet at P′P'. Since BCBC and GP′GP' meet at XX, it follows that P′P' is on ADAD, indeed (GX,BC)=(GD,BC)=−1(GX, BC) = (GD, BC) = -1. Yielding X=DX = D. That is;
∠BP′C=∠BEC+∠FCE=∠BEC+∠FBE=2α \angle BP'C = \angle BEC + \angle FCE = \angle BEC + \angle FBE = 2\alpha
Yielding to the fact that PP is the intersection of the corresponding arcs of ADAD and BCBC. Therefore, P=P′P = P'. Whence, CF∩BE=DCF \cap BE = D. This implies that ∠EPF=∠BPC=2α\angle EPF = \angle BPC = 2\alpha. According to the first lemma, ∠ET′F=∠EAF\angle ET'F = \angle EAF and T′T' is on the perpendicular bisector of EFEF. Let RR be the intersection point of the common tangents of QEFQEF and PEFPEF, taking into account that RR is the center of the homothety of these circles, it follows that ∠ERF=∠EPF−∠EQF=α\angle ERF = \angle EPF - \angle EQF = \alpha. Therefore, R,O1R, O_1, and O2O_2 would be collinear and RR is on the perpendicular bisector of O1O2O_1O_2. Hence, RR is the intersection of the corresponding arc of the EFEF and its perpendicular bisector. Since such a point would be unique, we find that R=T′R = T'. We are done. ■

Figure 2

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