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Geometry Difficulty 9.0 IMO level Prove it China

Given two fixed points AA and BB on the unit circle ω\omega, satisfying 2<AB<2\sqrt{2} < AB < 2. Let PP be a moving point on ω\omega such that ABP\triangle ABP is an acute-angled triangle and AP>AB>BPAP > AB > BP.

For this moving point PP, let HH be the orthocenter of ABP\triangle ABP. Take a point SS on the arc AP^\widehat{AP} such that SH=AHSH = AH, and take a point TT on the arc AB^\widehat{AB} such that TBAPTB \parallel AP. Let QQ be the intersection of lines STST and BPBP.

Prove that there exists a fixed point in the plane such that the circle with diameter HQHQ passes through it.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

We prove that the midpoint MM of ABAB satisfies the given condition.

Figure 1

Let P1P_1 be the antipodal point of PP on the circle ω\omega, and let H1H_1 be the intersection of the extension of AHAH with ω\omega. We will show that QP1=QH1QP_1 = QH_1.

Denote OO as the center of ω\omega. Since SH=AHSH = AH, we have that SS and AA are symmetric with respect to OHOH, implying OHSAOH \perp SA. Also, HBAPHB \perp AP, so BHO180SAP=180STP=PTQ\angle BHO - 180^\circ - \angle SAP = 180^\circ - \angle STP = \angle PTQ. By noting that TBAPTB \parallel AP, we have TPQ=APBAPT=APBPAB=HBO\angle TPQ = \angle APB - \angle APT = \angle APB - \angle PAB = \angle HBO. Thus, PTQBHO\triangle PTQ \sim \triangle BHO, which gives PQPT=BOBH\frac{PQ}{PT} = \frac{BO}{BH}. Since PT=ABPT = AB and BO=POBO = PO, we obtain PQAB=POBH\frac{PQ}{AB} = \frac{PO}{BH}. Furthermore, OPQ=90PAB=ABH\angle OPQ = 90^\circ - \angle PAB = \angle ABH, implying OPQHBA\triangle OPQ \sim \triangle HBA. Therefore, OQP=HAB=H1AB=H1P1B\angle OQP = \angle HAB = \angle H_1AB = \angle H_1P_1B. Since PQP1BPQ \perp P_1B, it follows that OQP1H1OQ \perp P_1H_1, and thus OQOQ bisects P1H1P_1H_1 perpendicularly, leading to QP1=QH1QP_1 = QH_1.

Since H1H_1 and HH are symmetric with respect to BPBP, we have QH=QH1=QP1QH = QH_1 = QP_1. Also, it is well-known that MM is the midpoint of HP1HP_1, so QMMHQM \perp MH. Consequently, the circle with diameter HQHQ passes through the midpoint MM of ABAB. \square

Figure 1

Solution 2

Let lowercase letters represent complex numbers corresponding to the respective points on the complex plane.

Firstly,
QPBqpqbRqpqb=qˉpˉqˉbˉqqˉpqˉqbˉ+pbˉ=qqˉbqˉqpˉ+bpˉ(pb)qˉ+pbpbq=p2b2pbq+pbqˉ=p+b. \begin{align*} Q \in PB & \\ \Leftrightarrow \frac{q-p}{q-b} \in \mathbb{R} & \Leftrightarrow \frac{q-p}{q-b} = \frac{\bar{q}-\bar{p}}{\bar{q}-\bar{b}} \\ & \Leftrightarrow q\bar{q} - p\bar{q} - q\bar{b} + p\bar{b} = q\bar{q} - b\bar{q} - q\bar{p} + b\bar{p} \\ & \Leftrightarrow (p-b)\bar{q} + \frac{p-b}{pb}q = \frac{p^2-b^2}{pb} \\ & \Leftrightarrow q + pb\bar{q} = p + b. \end{align*}

Similarly,
QSTq+stqˉ=s+t. Q \in ST \Leftrightarrow q + st\bar{q} = s + t.
Therefore,
qˉ=s+tpbstpb. \bar{q} = \frac{s + t - p - b}{st - pb}.
According to the given conditions, t=apbt = \frac{ap}{b}, and ss satisfies
(sh)(1shˉ)=(ah)(1ahˉ)1hshˉs+hhˉ=1hahˉa+hhˉhˉs2(ha+hˉa)s+h=0. \begin{align*} (s-h)\left(\frac{1}{s}-\bar{h}\right) &= (a-h)\left(\frac{1}{a}-\bar{h}\right) \\ \Leftrightarrow 1-\frac{h}{s}-\bar{h}s+h\bar{h} &= 1-\frac{h}{a}-\bar{h}a+h\bar{h} \\ \Leftrightarrow \bar{h}s^2-\left(\frac{h}{a}+\bar{h}a\right)s+h = 0. \end{align*}
Hence, by Vieta's formulas, we have
s=hahˉ=bpa+b+pab+bp+pa. s = \frac{h}{a\bar{h}} = bp \frac{a+b+p}{ab+bp+pa}.
Furthermore, we have
s+tpb=p[ab+b(a+b+p)ab+bp+pa1]b=pa(ab+bp+pa)+b(b2pa)b(ab+bp+pa)b=ap(ab+bp+pa)+bp(b2pa)b2(ab+bp+pa)b(ab+bp+pa)=(ab+pa)(apb2)b(ab+bp+pa)=a(b+p)(apb2)b(ab+bp+pa). \begin{align*} s + t - p - b &= p \left[ \frac{a}{b} + \frac{b(a+b+p)}{ab+bp+pa} - 1 \right] - b \\ &= p \frac{a(ab + bp + pa) + b(b^2 - pa)}{b(ab + bp + pa)} - b \\ &= \frac{ap(ab + bp + pa) + bp(b^2 - pa) - b^2(ab + bp + pa)}{b(ab + bp + pa)} \\ &= \frac{(ab + pa)(ap - b^2)}{b(ab + bp + pa)} = \frac{a(b + p)(ap - b^2)}{b(ab + bp + pa)}. \end{align*}
stpb=ap2(a+b+p)pb(ab+bp+pa)ab+bp+pa=p[ap(a+p)b2(a+p)]ab+bp+pa=p(apb2)(a+p)ab+bp+pa. st - pb = \frac{ap^2(a + b + p) - pb(ab + bp + pa)}{ab + bp + pa} = \frac{p[ap(a + p) - b^2(a + p)]}{ab + bp + pa} = \frac{p(ap - b^2)(a + p)}{ab + bp + pa}.
so
qˉ=a(p+b)bp(p+a),q=1abp(b+p)1abp2(p+a)=p(p+b)p+a. \bar{q} = \frac{a(p+b)}{bp(p+a)}, \quad q = \frac{\frac{1}{abp}(b+p)}{\frac{1}{abp^2}(p+a)} = \frac{p(p+b)}{p+a}.

We know that h=a+b+ph = a + b + p. The center of the circle with diameter HQHQ is
12(h+q)=a+b2+p(p+a)+(p+b)p+a, \frac{1}{2}(h+q) = \frac{a+b}{2} + \frac{p(p+a)+(p+b)}{p+a},
and its radius is
12(h+q)=12(p+a)[(a+b+p)(p+a)p(p+b)]=a2(p+a)+(p+b)p+a. \left| \frac{1}{2}(h+q) \right| = \left| \frac{1}{2(p+a)} \left[ (a+b+p)(p+a) - p(p+b) \right] \right| = \left| \frac{a}{2} \frac{(p+a)+(p+b)}{p+a} \right|.
Since a=p=1|a| = |p| = 1, we can conclude that the circle passes through the midpoint of ABAB, which is a+b2\frac{a+b}{2}. Thus, the proof is complete. \square

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