In a plane rectangular coordinate system xOy there are three points A(0,34), B(−1,0) and C(1,0). The distance from point P to line BC is the geometric mean of the distances from this point to lines AB and AC.
(1) Find the locus equation of point P.
(2) If line L passes through the incenter (say, D) of △ABC, and has exactly 3 common points with the locus of point P. Determine all values of the slope k of line L.
Solution
(1) The equations of lines AB, AC and BC are y=34(x+1), y=−34(x−1) and y=0 respectively. The distances from point P to AB, AC and BC are respectively d1=51∣4x−3y+4∣, d2=51∣4x+3y−4∣,d3=∣y∣. According to the assumption, d1d2=d32, we have ∣16x2−(3y−4)2∣=25y2. That is 16x2−(3y−4)2+25y2=0, or 16x2−(3y−4)2−25y2=0. By simplifying the above equations, we obtain that the locus equations of point P consist of circle S: 2x2+2y2+3y−2=0 and hyperbola T: 8x2−17y2+12y−8=0.
(2) The incenter of △ABC is also a point satisfying the assumption. In view of d1=d2=d3, solving the equations we have D(0,21). Line L passes through D, and has three common points with the locus of point P. So the slope of L is defined. Suppose that the equation of L is y=kx+21. (i) If k=0, then L is tangent to the circle S, which means there is a unique common point D. In this case line L is parallel to the x-axis, which implies that L and hyperbola T have two other common points different from point D. Hence, there are just three common points for L and the locus of point P.
Case 1: Line L passes through point B or point C, which means that the slope of L is k=±21, and the equation of L is x=±(2y−1). Substitute it into equation 2◯ we get y(3y−4)=0. Solving it we have E(35,34) or F(−35,34), which means that line BD and curve T have 2 intersection points B and E, and line CD and curve T have 2 intersection points C and F.
Case 2: Line L does not pass through point B and point C (i.e. k=±21). Since for L and S there are two different intersection points, there exists a unique common point for L and hyperbola T. Thus for the following system of equations {8x2−17y2+12y−8=0,y=kx+21, there is one and only one real solution. After eliminating y and simplifying we have (8−17k2)x2−5kx−425=0. The above equation has a unique real solution if and only if 8−17k2=0 or (−5k)2+4(8−17k2)425=0. Solving 8−17k2=0 we get k=±17234. And solving (−5k)2+4(8−17k2)425=0 we obtain k=±22. Consequently, the set of all possible values of the slope k of line L is the following finite set: {0,±21,±17234,±22}
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