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Geometry Difficulty 8.8 Shortlist Prove it IMO

Let AABCCBA A^{\prime} B C C^{\prime} B^{\prime} be a convex cyclic hexagon such that ACA C is tangent to the incircle of the triangle ABCA^{\prime} B^{\prime} C^{\prime}, and ACA^{\prime} C^{\prime} is tangent to the incircle of the triangle ABCA B C. Let the lines ABA B and ABA^{\prime} B^{\prime} meet at XX and let the lines BCB C and BCB^{\prime} C^{\prime} meet at YY.
Prove that if XBYBX B Y B^{\prime} is a convex quadrilateral, then it has an incircle.

Solution

Denote by ω\omega and ω\omega^{\prime} the incircles of ABC\triangle A B C and ABC\triangle A^{\prime} B^{\prime} C^{\prime} and let II and II^{\prime} be the centres of these circles. Let NN and NN^{\prime} be the second intersections of BIB I and BIB^{\prime} I^{\prime} with Ω\Omega, the circumcircle of ABCCBAA^{\prime} B C C^{\prime} B^{\prime} A, and let OO be the centre of Ω\Omega. Note that ONACO N \perp A C, ONACO N^{\prime} \perp A^{\prime} C^{\prime} and ON=ONO N=O N^{\prime} so NNN N^{\prime} is parallel to the angle bisector III I^{\prime} of ACA C and ACA^{\prime} C^{\prime}. Thus IINNI I^{\prime} \| N N^{\prime} which is antiparallel to BBB B^{\prime} with respect to BIB I and BIB^{\prime} I^{\prime}. Therefore B,I,I,BB, I, I^{\prime}, B^{\prime} are concyclic.
Figure 1

Further define PP as the intersection of ACA C and ACA^{\prime} C^{\prime} and MM as the antipode of NN^{\prime} in Ω\Omega. Consider the circle Γ1\Gamma_{1} with centre NN and radius NA=NCN A=N C and the circle Γ2\Gamma_{2} with centre MM and radius MA=MCM A^{\prime}=M C^{\prime}. Their radical axis passes through PP and is perpendicular to MNNNIPM N \perp N N^{\prime} \| I P, so II lies on their radical axis. Therefore, since II lies on Γ1\Gamma_{1}, it must also lie on Γ2\Gamma_{2}. Thus, if we define ZZ as the second intersection of MIM I with Ω\Omega, we have that II is the incentre of triangle ZACZ A^{\prime} C^{\prime}. (Note that the point ZZ can also be constructed directly via Poncelet's porism.)

Consider the incircle ωc\omega_{c} with centre IcI_{c} of triangle CBZC^{\prime} B^{\prime} Z. Note that ZIC=90+12ZAC=90+12ZBC=ZIcC\angle Z I C^{\prime}=90^{\circ}+ \frac{1}{2} \angle Z A^{\prime} C^{\prime}=90^{\circ}+\frac{1}{2} \angle Z B^{\prime} C^{\prime}=\angle Z I_{c} C^{\prime}, so Z,I,Ic,CZ, I, I_{c}, C^{\prime} are concyclic. Similarly B,I,Ic,CB^{\prime}, I^{\prime}, I_{c}, C^{\prime} are concyclic.

The external centre of dilation from ω\omega to ωc\omega_{c} is the intersection of IcI_{c} and CZC^{\prime} Z ( DD in the picture), that is the radical centre of circles Ω,CIcIZ\Omega, C^{\prime} I_{c} I Z and IIIcI I^{\prime} I_{c}. Similarly, the external centre of dilation from ω\omega^{\prime} to ωc\omega_{c} is the intersection of IIcI^{\prime} I_{c} and BCB^{\prime} C^{\prime} ( DD^{\prime} in the picture), that is the radical centre of circles Ω,BIIcC\Omega, B^{\prime} I^{\prime} I_{c} C^{\prime} and IIIcI I^{\prime} I_{c}. Therefore the Monge line of ω,ω\omega, \omega^{\prime} and ωc\omega_{c} is line DDD D^{\prime}, and the radical axis of Ω\Omega and circle IIIcI I^{\prime} I_{c} coincide. Hence the external centre TT of dilation from ω\omega to ω\omega^{\prime} is also on the radical axis of Ω\Omega and circle IIIcI I^{\prime} I_{c}.
Figure 2

Now since B,I,I,BB, I, I^{\prime}, B^{\prime} are concyclic, the intersection TT^{\prime} of BBB B^{\prime} and III I^{\prime} is on the radical axis of Ω\Omega and circle IIIcI I^{\prime} I_{c}. Thus T=TT^{\prime}=T and TT lies on line BBB B^{\prime}. Finally, construct a circle Ω0\Omega_{0} tangent to AB,BC,ABA^{\prime} B^{\prime}, B^{\prime} C^{\prime}, A B on the same side of these lines as ω\omega^{\prime}. The centre of dilation from ω\omega^{\prime} to Ω0\Omega_{0} is BB^{\prime}, so by Monge's theorem the external centre of dilation from Ω0\Omega_{0} to ω\omega must be on the line TBBT B B^{\prime}. However, it is on line ABA B, so it must be BB and BCB C must be tangent to Ω0\Omega_{0} as desired.
Figure 3

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