In triangle ABC with ∠ABC=60∘ and 5AB=4BC, points D and E are the feet of the altitudes from B and C, respectively. M is the midpoint of BD and the circumcircle of triangle BMC meets line AC again at N. Lines BN and CM meet at P. Prove that ∠EDP=90∘.
Solution
Solution:
From the given, AB=4l and BC=5l for some constant l>0. Since ∠ABC=60∘, BE=25l and CE=253l. Also, by the cosine law, AC=21. Since BEDC is cyclic, ∠EDA=∠ABC=60∘. Consequently, ∠EDB=30∘ and △AED∼△ACB. From the latter, AD=4k, DE=5k, and AE=21k for some constant k>0. Since 4l=AB=BE+AE=25l+21k, then kl=3221.
The area of △ABC equals 21sin60∘⋅4l⋅5l=21⋅21l⋅2BM which gives BM=75l. Observe that DECE=5k53l/2=2k3l=23⋅3221=7=5l/75l=MBCB This, along with ∠MBC=∠DBC=∠DEC, implies that △DEC∼△MBC, so ∠ECD=∠BCM and thus, ∠MCD=∠BCE=30∘. As BMNC is cyclic, ∠MBN=30∘ so that lines ED and BN are parallel. We have ∠DMC=60∘ so that ∠BPM=30∘. Thus, △BMP is isosceles with BM=MP and it follows that M is the circumcenter of △BPD. Therefore, ∠BPD=90∘. It follows that ∠EDP=90∘.
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