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Geometry Difficulty 4.5 AIME Prove it Soviet Union

Problem:

AB=BCAB = BC and MM is the midpoint of ACAC. HH is chosen on BCBC so that MHMH is perpendicular to BCBC. PP is the midpoint of MHMH. Prove that AHAH is perpendicular to BPBP.

Solution

Solution:

Take XX on AHAH so that BXBX is perpendicular to AHAH. Extend to meet HMHM at PP'. Let NN be the midpoint of ABAB. AA, BB, MM and XX are on the circle center NN radius NANA (because angles AMBAMB and AXBAXB are 9090^{\circ}). Also MNMN is parallel to BCBC (because AMNAMN, ACBACB are similar), so NMNM is perpendicular to MHMH, in other words HMHM is a tangent to the circle. Hence PM=PXP'M = P'X. PBP'B. Triangles PXHP'XH and PHBP'HB are similar (angles at PP' same and both have a right angle), so PH/PX=PB/PHP'H / P'X = P'B / P'H, so PHPH=PXPBP'H \cdot P'H = P'X \cdot P'B. Hence PH=PMP'H = P'M and PP' coincides with PP.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.