Let ABC be a triangle with ∠BAC=90∘ with the altitude AH (H∈BC). A circle (ω) passes through B,C and cuts the segments AB,AC at M,N respectively. Circle (ω) also cuts the line AH at D,E (D lies between A,H). Suppose that DE=AH5, prove that the circumcircle of triangle HMN is tangent to BC.
Solution
Base on the power from H to the circle (ω), HD⋅HE=HB⋅HC=AH2. Moreover, HD+HE=DE=AH5. Thus, the lengths HD,HE will be the solutions of the quadratic equation x2−AH5⋅x+AH2=0. Since D is inside triangle ABC, HD<AH, entails HE>AH and will have HE>HD. From there, solving the above equation, we get HD=2−1+5AH and HE=21+5AH. Hence, AD=AH−HD=23−5AH and AE=AH+HE=23+5AH. --- It follows that AD⋅AE=(23−5)(23+5)AH2=AH2. Furthermore, according to the power from A to the circle (ω), AD⋅AE=AM⋅AB=AN⋅AC. Therefore AH2=AM⋅AB=AN⋅AC, which implies that HM⊥AB, HN⊥AC so the quadrilateral AMHN is a rectangle. Therefore, the circle circumscribing triangle HMN is also the circle with diameter AH so it will be tangent to BC. □
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.