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IMO Shortlist, 2019

Geometry Difficulty 8.4 Shortlist Prove it IMO

In triangle ABCA B C, let A1A_{1} and B1B_{1} be two points on sides BCB C and ACA C, and let PP and QQ be two points on segments AA1A A_{1} and BB1B B_{1}, respectively, so that line PQP Q is parallel to ABA B. On ray PB1P B_{1}, beyond B1B_{1}, let P1P_{1} be a point so that ∠PP1C=∠BAC\angle P P_{1} C=\angle B A C. Similarly, on ray QA1Q A_{1}, beyond A1A_{1}, let Q1Q_{1} be a point so that ∠CQ1Q=∠CBA\angle C Q_{1} Q=\angle C B A. Show that points P,Q,P1P, Q, P_{1}, and Q1Q_{1} are concyclic.
(Ukraine)

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Solution 1. Throughout the solution we use oriented angles.
Let rays AA1A A_{1} and BB1B B_{1} intersect the circumcircle of △ACB\triangle A C B at A2A_{2} and B2B_{2}, respectively. By
∠QPA2=∠BAA2=∠BB2A2=∠QB2A2, \angle Q P A_{2}=\angle B A A_{2}=\angle B B_{2} A_{2}=\angle Q B_{2} A_{2},
points P,Q,A2,B2P, Q, A_{2}, B_{2} are concyclic; denote the circle passing through these points by ω\omega. We shall prove that P1P_{1} and Q1Q_{1} also lie on ω\omega.
Figure 1
By
∠CA2A1=∠CA2A=∠CBA=∠CQ1Q=∠CQ1A1, \angle C A_{2} A_{1}=\angle C A_{2} A=\angle C B A=\angle C Q_{1} Q=\angle C Q_{1} A_{1},
points C,Q1,A2,A1C, Q_{1}, A_{2}, A_{1} are also concyclic. From that we get
∠QQ1A2=∠A1Q1A2=∠A1CA2=∠BCA2=∠BAA2=∠QPA2, \angle Q Q_{1} A_{2}=\angle A_{1} Q_{1} A_{2}=\angle A_{1} C A_{2}=\angle B C A_{2}=\angle B A A_{2}=\angle Q P A_{2},
so Q1Q_{1} lies on ω\omega.
It follows similarly that P1P_{1} lies on ω\omega.

Solution 2

Solution 2. First consider the case when lines PP1P P_{1} and QQ1Q Q_{1} intersect each other at some point RR.
Let line PQP Q meet the sides ACA C and BCB C at EE and FF, respectively. Then
∠PP1C=∠BAC=∠PEC, \angle P P_{1} C=\angle B A C=\angle P E C,
so points C,E,P,P1C, E, P, P_{1} lie on a circle; denote that circle by ωP\omega_{P}. It follows analogously that points C,F,Q,Q1C, F, Q, Q_{1} lie on another circle; denote it by ωQ\omega_{Q}.
Let AQA Q and BPB P intersect at TT. Applying Pappus' theorem to the lines AA1PA A_{1} P and BB1QB B_{1} Q provides that points C=AB1∩BA1,R=A1Q∩B1PC=A B_{1} \cap B A_{1}, R=A_{1} Q \cap B_{1} P and T=AQ∩BPT=A Q \cap B P are collinear.
Let line RCTR C T meet PQP Q and ABA B at SS and UU, respectively. From AB∥PQA B \| P Q we obtain
SPSQ=UBUA=SFSE, \frac{S P}{S Q}=\frac{U B}{U A}=\frac{S F}{S E},
so
SP⋅SE=SQ⋅SF. S P \cdot S E=S Q \cdot S F .
Figure 2
So, point SS has equal powers with respect to ωP\omega_{P} and ωQ\omega_{Q}, hence line RCSR C S is their radical axis; then RR also has equal powers to the circles, so RP⋅RP1=RQ⋅RQ1R P \cdot R P_{1}=R Q \cdot R Q_{1}, proving that points P,P1,Q,Q1P, P_{1}, Q, Q_{1} are indeed concyclic.
Now consider the case when PP1P P_{1} and QQ1Q Q_{1} are parallel. Like in the previous case, let AQA Q and BPB P intersect at TT. Applying Pappus' theorem again to the lines AA1PA A_{1} P and BB1QB B_{1} Q, in this limit case it shows that line CTC T is parallel to PP1P P_{1} and QQ1Q Q_{1}.
Let line CTC T meet PQP Q and ABA B at SS and UU, as before. The same calculation as in the previous case shows that SP⋅SE=SQ⋅SFS P \cdot S E=S Q \cdot S F, so SS lies on the radical axis between ωP\omega_{P} and ωQ\omega_{Q}.
Figure 3
Line CSTC S T, that is the radical axis between ωP\omega_{P} and ωQ\omega_{Q}, is perpendicular to the line ℓ\ell of centres of ωP\omega_{P} and ωQ\omega_{Q}. Hence, the chords PP1P P_{1} and QQ1Q Q_{1} are perpendicular to ℓ\ell. So the quadrilateral PP1Q1QP P_{1} Q_{1} Q is an isosceles trapezium with symmetry axis ℓ\ell, and hence is cyclic.

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