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Geometry Difficulty 7.5 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Benelux Mathematical Olympiad

Problem:

Two circles Γ1\Gamma_{1} and Γ2\Gamma_{2} intersect at points AA and ZZ (with AZA \neq Z). Let BB be the centre of Γ1\Gamma_{1} and let CC be the centre of Γ2\Gamma_{2}. The exterior angle bisector of BAC\angle B A C intersects Γ1\Gamma_{1} again at XX and Γ2\Gamma_{2} again at YY. Prove that the interior angle bisector of BZC\angle B Z C passes through the circumcentre of XYZ\triangle X Y Z.

For points P,Q,RP, Q, R that lie on a line \ell in that order, and a point SS not on \ell, the interior angle bisector of PQS\angle P Q S is the line that divides PQS\angle P Q S into two equal angles, while the exterior angle bisector of PQS\angle P Q S is the line that divides RQS\angle R Q S into two equal angles.

Solution

Solution:

Solution I. We first prove that AZX=YZA\angle A Z X = \angle Y Z A. Since the triangles BAX\triangle B A X, CAY\triangle C A Y are isosceles, and XYX Y is the external bisector of BAC\angle B A C, we see that
BXA=XAB=CAY=AYC. \angle B X A = \angle X A B = \angle C A Y = \angle A Y C.
Using these equalities, we find that
XBA=180BAXAXB=180CYAYAC=ACY \angle X B A = 180^\circ - \angle B A X - \angle A X B = 180^\circ - \angle C Y A - \angle Y A C = \angle A C Y
Since B,CB, C are the centres of respectively Γ1,Γ2\Gamma_{1}, \Gamma_{2}, this implies that
AZX=12ABX=12YCA=YZA. \angle A Z X = \frac{1}{2} \angle A B X = \frac{1}{2} \angle Y C A = \angle Y Z A.
Let OO be the circumcentre of XYZ\triangle X Y Z, next we will prove that BZO=AZY\angle B Z O = \angle A Z Y. Consider the configuration where ZXA\angle Z X A is sharp, then ABZ=2AXZ=2YXZ=YOZ\angle A B Z = 2 \angle A X Z = 2 \angle Y X Z = \angle Y O Z. Since BZA\triangle B Z A and OZY\triangle O Z Y are isosceles, this implies BZA=OZY\angle B Z A = \angle O Z Y. Subtracting OZA\angle O Z A (or adding, depending on the configuration) yields BZO=AZY\angle B Z O = \angle A Z Y.

Together with the analogous result CZO=AZX\angle C Z O = \angle A Z X, we conclude BZO=AZY=XZA=OZC\angle B Z O = \angle A Z Y = \angle X Z A = \angle O Z C, so OO lies indeed on the internal bisector of BZC\angle B Z C.

Solution II. Let OO be the circumcentre of XYZ\triangle X Y Z, then we see that OX=OZO X = O Z. Since BB is the centre of Γ1\Gamma_{1}, we also see that BX=BZB X = B Z, so OBO B is the perpendicular bisector of XZX Z. Therefore BZO=BXO\angle B Z O = \angle B X O, and analogously we find CZO=CYO\angle C Z O = \angle C Y O. Note that B,CB, C lie on the same side of XYX Y; we will consider the configuration where OO is on the opposite side of XYX Y. Then BXO=BXA+AXO\angle B X O = \angle B X A + \angle A X O. Now the isosceles triangles BXA,CAY,OXY\triangle B X A, \triangle C A Y, \triangle O X Y, and XYX Y being the external bisector of BAC\angle B A C give
BXA=XAB=CAY=AYC,AXO=YXO=OYX=OYA, \begin{aligned} & \angle B X A = \angle X A B = \angle C A Y = \angle A Y C, \\ & \angle A X O = \angle Y X O = \angle O Y X = \angle O Y A, \end{aligned}
so we find that BZO=BXO=AYC+OYA=OYC=OZC\angle B Z O = \angle B X O = \angle A Y C + \angle O Y A = \angle O Y C = \angle O Z C. Hence OO lies on the internal bisector of BZC\angle B Z C.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.