Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.6 AIME, harder Prove it India

Problem:

Let ABCABC be a right-angled triangle with B=90\angle B = 90^{\circ}. Let BDBD be the altitude from BB onto ACAC. Let PP, QQ and II be the incentres of triangles ABDABD, CBDCBD and ABCABC respectively. Show that the circumcentre of the triangle PIQPIQ lies on the hypotenuse ACAC.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Solution:

We begin with the following lemma:

Lemma: Let XYZXYZ be a triangle with XYZ=90+α\angle XYZ = 90 + \alpha. Construct an isosceles triangle XEZXEZ, externally on the side XZXZ, with base angle α\alpha. Then EE is the circumcentre of XYZ\triangle XYZ.

Proof of the Lemma: Draw EDXZED \perp XZ. Then DEDE is the perpendicular bisector of XZXZ. We also observe that XED=ZED=90α\angle XED = \angle ZED = 90 - \alpha. Observe that EE is on the perpendicular bisector of XZXZ. Construct the circumcircle of XYZXYZ. Draw the perpendicular bisector of XYXY and let it meet DEDE in FF. Then FF is the circumcentre of XYZ\triangle XYZ. Join XFXF. Then XFD=90α\angle XFD = 90 - \alpha. But we know that XED=90α\angle XED = 90 - \alpha. Hence E=FE = F.

Let r1r_1, r2r_2 and rr be the inradii of the triangles ABDABD, CBDCBD and ABCABC respectively. Join PDPD and DQDQ. Observe that PDQ=90\angle PDQ = 90^{\circ}. Hence

PQ2=PD2+DQ2=2r12+2r22 PQ^2 = PD^2 + DQ^2 = 2r_1^2 + 2r_2^2

Let s1=(AB+BD+DA)/2s_1 = (AB + BD + DA)/2. Observe that BD=ca/bBD = ca/b and AD=AB2BD2=c2(cab)2=c2/bAD = \sqrt{AB^2 - BD^2} = \sqrt{c^2 - \left(\frac{ca}{b}\right)^2} = c^2/b. This gives s1=cs/bs_1 = cs/b. But r1=s1c=(c/b)(sb)=cr/br_1 = s_1 - c = (c/b)(s-b) = cr/b. Similarly, r2=ar/br_2 = ar/b. Hence

PQ2=2r2(c2+a2b2)=2r2 PQ^2 = 2r^2 \left(\frac{c^2 + a^2}{b^2}\right) = 2r^2

Consider PIQ\triangle PIQ. Observe that PIQ=90+(B/2)=135\angle PIQ = 90 + (B/2) = 135^{\circ}. Hence PQPQ subtends 9090^{\circ} on the circumference of the circumcircle of PIQ\triangle PIQ. But we have seen that PDQ=90\angle PDQ = 90^{\circ}. Now construct a circle with PQPQ as diameter. Let it cut ACAC again in KK. It follows that PKQ=90\angle PKQ = 90^{\circ} and the points P,D,K,QP, D, K, Q are concyclic. We also notice KPQ=KDQ=45\angle KPQ = \angle KDQ = 45^{\circ} and PQK=PDA=45\angle PQK = \angle PDA = 45^{\circ}.

Figure 1

Thus PKQPKQ is an isosceles right-angled triangle with KP=KQKP = KQ. Therefore KP2+KQ2=PQ2=2r2KP^2 + KQ^2 = PQ^2 = 2r^2 and hence KP=KQ=rKP = KQ = r.

Now PIQ=90+45\angle PIQ = 90 + 45 and PKQ=2×45=90\angle PKQ = 2 \times 45^{\circ} = 90^{\circ} with KP=KQ=rKP = KQ = r.

Hence KK is the circumcentre of PIQ\triangle PIQ.

Solution 2

Solution:

Here we use computation to prove that the point of contact KK of the incircle with ACAC is the circumcentre of PIQ\triangle PIQ. We show that KP=KQ=rKP = KQ = r.

Let r1r_1 and r2r_2 be the inradii of triangles ABDABD and CBDCBD respectively. Draw PLACPL \perp AC and QMACQM \perp AC. If s1s_1 is the semiperimeter of ABD\triangle ABD, then AL=s1BDAL = s_1 - BD.

Figure 2

But
s1=AB+BD+DA2,BD=cab,AD=c2b s_1 = \frac{AB + BD + DA}{2}, \quad BD = \frac{ca}{b}, \quad AD = \frac{c^2}{b}

Hence s1=cs/bs_1 = cs/b. This gives r1=s1c=cr/br_1 = s_1 - c = cr/b, AL=s1BD=c(sa)/bAL = s_1 - BD = c(s-a)/b. Hence KL=AKAL=(sa)c(sa)b=(bc)(sa)bKL = AK - AL = (s-a) - \frac{c(s-a)}{b} = \frac{(b-c)(s-a)}{b}.

We observe that 2r2=(c+ab)22=c2+a2+b22bc2ab+2ca2=(b2babc+ac)=(bc)(ba)2r^2 = \frac{(c+a-b)^2}{2} = \frac{c^2 + a^2 + b^2 - 2bc - 2ab + 2ca}{2} = (b^2 - ba - bc + ac) = (b-c)(b-a).

(sa)(bc)=(sb+ba)(bc)=r(bc)+(ba)(bc)=r(bc)+2r2=r(bc+c+ab)=ra \begin{aligned} (s-a)(b-c) &= (s-b + b-a)(b-c) \\ &= r(b-c) + (b-a)(b-c) \\ &= r(b-c) + 2r^2 = r(b-c + c + a - b) = ra \end{aligned}

Thus KL=ra/bKL = ra/b. Finally,
KP2=KL2+LP2=r2a2b2+r2+c2b2=r2 KP^2 = KL^2 + LP^2 = \frac{r^2 a^2}{b^2} + \frac{r^2 + c^2}{b^2} = r^2

Thus KP=rKP = r. Similarly, KQ=rKQ = r. This gives KP=KI=KQ=rKP = KI = KQ = r and therefore KK is the circumcentre of PIQ\triangle PIQ.

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