Let △ABC be a right-angled triangle with ∠B=90∘. Let D be a point on AC such that the in-radii of the triangles ABD and CBD are equal. If this common value is r′ and if r is the in-radius of triangle ABC, prove that r′1=r1+BD1.
Solution
Let E and F be the incentres of triangles ABD and CBD respectively. Let the incircles of triangles ABD and CBD touch AC in P and Q respectively. If ∠BDA=θ, we see that r′=PDtan(θ/2)=QDcot(θ/2). Hence PQ=PD+QD=r′(cot2θ+tan2θ)=sinθ2r′. But we observe that DP=2BD+DA−AB,DQ=2BD+DC−BC. Thus PQ=(b−c−a+2BD)/2. We also have 2ac=[ABC]=[ABD]+[CBD]=r′2(AB+BD+DA)+r′2(CB+BD+DC)=r′2(c+a+b+2BD)=r′(s+BD). But r′=2PQsinθ=2BDPQ⋅h, where h is the altitude from B on to AC. But we know that h=ac/b. Thus we get ac=2×r′(s+BD)=2×2×BDPQ⋅h(s+BD)=2×BD×b(b−c−a+2BD)ca(s+BD). Thus we get 2×BD×b=2×(BD−(s−b))(s+BD). This gives BD2=s(s−b). Since ABC is a right-angled triangle r=s−b. Thus we get BD2=rs. On the other hand, we also have [ABC]=r′(s+BD). Thus we get rs=[ABC]=r′(s+BD). Hence r′1=r1+rsBD=r1+BD1.
Alternate Solution 1:
Observe that rr′=AXAP=CXCQ=ACAP+CQ, where X is the point at which the incircle of ABC touches the side AC. If s1 and s2 are respectively the semi-perimeters of triangles ABD and CBD, we know AP=s1−BD and CQ=s2−BD. Therefore rr′=b(s1−BD)+(s2−BD)=bs1+s2−2BD. But s1+s2=2AD+BD+c+2CD+BD+a=2(a+b+c)+2BD=2s+BD. This gives rr′=bs+BD−2BD=bs−BD. We also have r′=s1[ABD]=s2[CBD]=s1+s2[ABD]+[CBD]=s+BD[ABC]=s+BDrs. This implies that rr′=s+BDs. Comparing the two expressions for r′/r, we see that bs−BD=s+BDs. Therefore s2−BD2=bs, or BD2=s(s−b). Thus we get BD=s(s−b). We know now that rr′=s+BDs=bs−BD=(s−b)+BDBD=(s−b)+s(s−b)s(s−b)=s−b+ss. Therefore r′r=1+ss−b. This gives r′1=r1+(ss−b)r1. But (ss−b)r1=(s(s−b)s−b)r1=(BDs−b)r1. If ∠B=90∘, we know that r=s−b. Therefore we get r′1=r1+(BDs−b)r1=r1+BD1.
Alternate Solution 2:
Observe that ∠EDF=90∘. Hence △EDP is similar to △DFQ. Therefore DP⋅DQ=EP⋅FQ. Taking DP=x2 and DQ=x1, we get x1x2=(r′)2. We also observe that BD=x2+y2=x1+y1. Since ∠EBF=45∘, we get 1=tan45∘=tan(β1+β2)=1−tanβ1tanβ2tanβ1+tanβ2. But tanβ1=r′/y2 and tanβ2=r′/x2. Hence we obtain 1=1−(r′)2/x2y2(r′/y2)+(r′/x2). Solving for r′, we get r′=x2+y2x2y2−x1y1. We also know r=2AB+BC−AC=2x2+y2−(x1+y1)=2(x2−x1)+(y2−y1). Finally, ENV0 But we can write 2x1+2x2+(x2−x1)+(y2−y1)=(x1+x2+x2−x1)+(y1+y2+y2−y1)=2(x2+y2),
2x_1 + 2x_2 + (x_2 - x_1) + (y_2 - y_1) = (x_1 + x_2 + x_2 - x_1) + (y_1 + y_2 + y_2 - y_1) = 2(x_2 + y_2),
2x1+2x2+(x2−x1)+(y2−y1)=(x1+x2+x2−x1)+(y1+y2+y2−y1)=2(x2+y2), and (x1+x2)((x2−x1)+(y2−y1))=2(x1+x2)(x2−y1)=2(x2(x2+x1−y1)−x1y1)=2(x2y2−x1y1).
(x_1 + x_2)((x_2 - x_1) + (y_2 - y_1)) = 2(x_1 + x_2)(x_2 - y_1) \\
= 2(x_2(x_2 + x_1 - y_1) - x_1y_1) = 2(x_2y_2 - x_1y_1).
(x1+x2)((x2−x1)+(y2−y1))=2(x1+x2)(x2−y1)=2(x2(x2+x1−y1)−x1y1)=2(x2y2−x1y1). Therefore 1 r + 1 BD = 2(x 2\text{1 r + 1 BD = 2(x 2}1 r + 1 BD = 2(x 2 + y_2)}{2(x_2y_2 - x_1y_1)} = 1r′.\frac{1}{r'}.r′1.
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