Two circles c and c′ with centers O and O′ lie completely outside each other. Points A, B, and C lie on the circle c and points A′, B′, and C′ lie on the circle c′ so that segment AB∥A′B′, BC∥B′C′, and ∠ABC=∠A′B′C′. The lines AA′, BB′, and CC′ are all different and intersect in one point P, which does not coincide with any of the vertices of the triangles ABC or A′B′C′. Prove that ∠AOB=∠A′O′B′.
Fig. 1
Solution
The triangles ABP and A′B′P are similar, because their corresponding sides are parallel (Fig. 1). Hence ∣A′B′∣∣AB∣=∣B′P∣∣BP∣. Likewise the triangles BCP and B′C′P are similar, hence ∣B′C′∣∣BC∣=∣B′P∣∣BP∣. Thus ∣A′B′∣∣AB∣=∣B′C′∣∣BC∣, and since ∠ABC=∠A′B′C′, the triangles ABC and A′B′C′ are also similar. From the equality of the angles ACB and A′C′B′ the equality of the central angles AOB and A′O′B′ now follows.
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