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Geometry Difficulty 5.5 AIME, harder Prove it China

Prove that, among any nn vertexes of a regular 2n12n-1 polygon (n3n \ge 3), there are three points, which are the vertexes of an isosceles triangle.

Solution

Let the vertices of the regular (2n1)(2n-1)-gon be A0,A1,,A2n2A_0, A_1, \ldots, A_{2n-2}, labeled in order around the circle.

Suppose we select any nn vertices from these 2n12n-1 vertices. For each vertex AiA_i, consider the set of possible isosceles triangles with AiA_i as a vertex and the other two vertices also among the nn chosen points.

For each AiA_i, the isosceles triangles with AiA_i as a vertex are determined by choosing another vertex AjA_j such that the third vertex is AkA_k, where AkA_k is symmetric to AjA_j with respect to AiA_i (i.e., AkA_k is the reflection of AjA_j over AiA_i). Since the polygon is regular, for each pair (Ai,Aj)(A_i, A_j), there is a unique AkA_k such that AiAj=AiAkA_iA_j = A_iA_k and AjAkA_j \ne A_k unless AjA_j is diametrically opposite AiA_i (which cannot happen since 2n12n-1 is odd).

Now, consider the set of all possible unordered pairs of chosen vertices. There are (n2)\binom{n}{2} such pairs. For each such pair (Aj,Ak)(A_j, A_k), there is a unique center AiA_i such that AjA_j and AkA_k are symmetric with respect to AiA_i (i.e., AiA_i is the midpoint of the arc AjAkA_jA_k). Since 2n12n-1 is odd, for each pair (Aj,Ak)(A_j, A_k), there is a unique AiA_i (possibly not among the chosen nn vertices).

Suppose, for contradiction, that among the nn chosen vertices, no three form an isosceles triangle. Then, for each chosen vertex AiA_i, the other n1n-1 chosen vertices must be distributed so that no two are symmetric with respect to AiA_i. For each AiA_i, the 2n22n-2 other vertices are paired into n1n-1 pairs of symmetric points with respect to AiA_i. Since we have chosen n1n-1 vertices (excluding AiA_i), by the pigeonhole principle, at least one pair must have both points chosen. But then, together with AiA_i, these two points form an isosceles triangle.

Therefore, among any nn vertices of a regular (2n1)(2n-1)-gon, there exist three that are the vertices of an isosceles triangle.

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