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Geometry Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it Saudi Arabia

Let A,B,C,DA, B, C, D be points on the line dd in that order and AB=CDAB = CD. Denote (P)(P) as some circle that passes through A,BA, B with its tangent lines at A,BA, B are a,ba, b. Denote (Q)(Q) as some circle that passes through C,DC, D with its tangent lines at C,DC, D are c,dc, d. Suppose that aa cuts c,dc, d at K,LK, L respectively; and bb cuts c,dc, d at M,NM, N respectively. Prove that four points K,L,M,NK, L, M, N belong to a same circle (ω)(\omega) and the common external tangent lines of circles (P),(Q)(P), (Q) meet on (ω)(\omega).

Solution

Consider the points that arranged as following figure, the other cases will be proved similarly.
Denote R,SR, S as intersection of the pairs of lines PB,QCPB, QC and PA,QDPA, QD. Note that BMCRBMCR and ALDSALDS are cyclic quadrilateral. Thus
KMN=BRC=180(BCR+CBR)=180(PBA+QDC)=180(PAD+QDA)=ASD=KLN. \begin{aligned} \angle KMN &= \angle BRC = 180^\circ - (\angle BCR + \angle CBR) \\ &= 180^\circ - (\angle PBA + \angle QDC) \\ &= 180^\circ - (\angle PAD + \angle QDA) = \angle ASD = \angle KLN. \end{aligned}
Hence, K,L,M,NK, L, M, N belong to the same circle.

Now, consider the following claim: Let be given two circles (P,R)(P, R), (Q,R)(Q, R') and some line cuts them at B,A,D,CB, A, D, C such that AB=CDAB = CD (see the figure). The tangent lines at A,CA, C respectively of (P),(Q)(P), (Q) meet at XX then XPXQ=RR\frac{XP}{XQ} = \frac{R}{R'}.

Indeed, by applying the sine law for triangle XACXAC, we get
XAXC=sinXCAsinXAC=sinCQD2sinAPB2=CDABRR=RR=PAQC. \frac{XA}{XC} = \frac{\sin XCA}{\sin XAC} = \frac{\sin \frac{CQD}{2}}{\sin \frac{APB}{2}} = \frac{CD}{AB} \cdot \frac{R}{R'} = \frac{R}{R'} = \frac{PA}{QC}.
Thus two triangles XPAXPA and XQCXQC are similar, which implies that XPXQ=RR\frac{XP}{XQ} = \frac{R}{R'}. The claim is proved.

Back to the problem, denote X,YX, Y as the external and the internal homothety centers of (P),(Q)(P), (Q) then XPXQ=YPYQ=k\frac{XP}{XQ} = \frac{YP}{YQ} = k with kk is the ratio of radius of (P),(Q)(P), (Q). It is easy to check that these radiuses are different, otherwise the the tangent lines of (P),(Q)(P), (Q) will be parallel and points K,L,M,NK, L, M, N will not exist, thus k1k \neq 1. In the other hand, by applying the above claim, we get
MPMQ=NPNQ=KPKQ=LPLQ=k. \frac{MP}{MQ} = \frac{NP}{NQ} = \frac{KP}{KQ} = \frac{LP}{LQ} = k.
Hence, six points X,Y,M,N,K,LX, Y, M, N, K, L are all belong to the Apollonius circle with ratio kk constructing on the segment PQPQ. Thus, the point XX, which also is the intersection of two common external tangent lines of (P),(Q)(P), (Q), is on (ω)(\omega). \square

Figure 1

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