Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.0 AIME, harder Prove it Brazil

Given any convex polygon, show that there are three consecutive vertices such that the polygon lies inside the circle through them.

Solution

Let V1V_1 and V2V_2 be consecutive vertices of the polygon. Let VkV_k be a vertex such that V1VkV2\angle V_1 V_k V_2 is minimal. Since all angles V1VjV2V1VkV2\angle V_1 V_j V_2 \ge \angle V_1 V_k V_2 for all jkj \ne k of the polygon, then all vertices are contained in the circumcircle of the triangle V1V2VkV_1 V_2 V_k.

If k=3k=3, we are done. Otherwise, consider the arc V2VkV_2V_k that doesn't contain V1V_1 and let VV_\ell a point in the region between the arc V2VkV_2V_k and the chord V2VkV_2V_k such that V2VVk\angle V_2V_\ell V_k is minimal. Notice that the circumcircle of V2VVkV_2V_\ell V_k still contains the polygon and that the number of vertices between 1 and kk is less than the number of vertices between 2 and kk. Repeat the procedure exchanging V2V_2 and VkV_k by VV_\ell and VkV_k. We obtain again a circle with less vertices between the edges of the triangle. Continuing in this fashion we eventually obtain three consecutive vertices.

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