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Geometry Difficulty 7.1 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Asia Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO)

Let three circles Γ1,Γ2,Γ3\Gamma_{1}, \Gamma_{2}, \Gamma_{3}, which are non-overlapping and mutually external, be given in the plane. For each point PP in the plane, outside the three circles, construct six points A1,B1,A2,B2,A3,B3A_{1}, B_{1}, A_{2}, B_{2}, A_{3}, B_{3} as follows: For each i=1,2,3i=1,2,3, Ai,BiA_{i}, B_{i} are distinct points on the circle Γi\Gamma_{i} such that the lines PAiP A_{i} and PBiP B_{i} are both tangents to Γi\Gamma_{i}. Call the point PP exceptional if, from the construction, three lines A1B1,A2B2,A3B3A_{1} B_{1}, A_{2} B_{2}, A_{3} B_{3} are concurrent. Show that every exceptional point of the plane, if exists, lies on the same circle.

Solution

Let OiO_{i} be the center and rir_{i} the radius of circle Γi\Gamma_{i} for each i=1,2,3i=1,2,3. Let PP be an exceptional point, and let the three corresponding lines A1B1,A2B2,A3B3A_{1} B_{1}, A_{2} B_{2}, A_{3} B_{3} concur at QQ. Construct the circle with diameter PQP Q. Call the circle Γ\Gamma, its center OO and its radius rr. We now claim that all exceptional points lie on Γ\Gamma.
Figure 1
Let PO1P O_{1} intersect A1B1A_{1} B_{1} in X1X_{1}. As PO1A1B1P O_{1} \perp A_{1} B_{1}, we see that X1X_{1} lies on Γ\Gamma. As PA1P A_{1} is a tangent to Γ1\Gamma_{1}, triangle PA1O1P A_{1} O_{1} is right-angled and similar to triangle A1X1O1A_{1} X_{1} O_{1}. It follows that
O1X1O1A1=O1A1O1P, i.e., O1X1O1P=O1A12=r12 \frac{O_{1} X_{1}}{O_{1} A_{1}}=\frac{O_{1} A_{1}}{O_{1} P}, \quad \text{ i.e., } \quad O_{1} X_{1} \cdot O_{1} P=O_{1} A_{1}^{2}=r_{1}^{2}
On the other hand, O1X1O1PO_{1} X_{1} \cdot O_{1} P is also the power of O1O_{1} with respect to Γ\Gamma, so that
r12=O1X1O1P=(O1Or)(O1O+r)=O1O2r2 \begin{equation*} r_{1}^{2}=O_{1} X_{1} \cdot O_{1} P=\left(O_{1} O-r\right)\left(O_{1} O+r\right)=O_{1} O^{2}-r^{2} \tag{*} \end{equation*}
and hence
r2=OO12r12=(OO1r1)(OO1+r1). r^{2}=O O_{1}^{2}-r_{1}^{2}=\left(O O_{1}-r_{1}\right)\left(O O_{1}+r_{1}\right) .
Thus, r2r^{2} is the power of OO with respect to Γ1\Gamma_{1}. By the same token, r2r^{2} is also the power of OO with respect to Γ2\Gamma_{2} and Γ3\Gamma_{3}. Hence OO must be the radical center of the three given circles. Since rr, as the square root of the power of OO with respect to the three given circles, does not depend on PP, it follows that all exceptional points lie on Γ\Gamma.

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