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Geometry Difficulty 6.6 National Olympiad Prove it New Zealand

Problem:
Let ω\omega be the incircle of scalene triangle ABCABC. Let ω\omega be tangent to ABAB and ACAC at points XX and YY. Construct points XX' and YY' on line segments ABAB and ACAC respectively such that AX=XBAX' = XB and AY=YCAY' = YC. Let line CXCX' intersect ω\omega at points P,QP, Q such that PP is closer to CC than QQ. Also let RR be the intersection of lines CXCX' and BYBY'. Prove that CP=RXCP = RX'.

Solution

Solution:
Let a,b,ca, b, c be the sidelengths BC,AC,ABBC, AC, AB respectively, and let ss be the semiperimeter of triangle ABCABC (i.e. let s=a+b+c2s = \frac{a + b + c}{2}). Since XX and YY are the points of contact of the incircle we get AX=AYAX = AY. Similarly BX=BZBX = BZ and CY=CZCY = CZ where ZZ is the point of tangency between ω\omega and side BCBC. Let p=AX=AYp = AX = AY and q=BX=BZq = BX = BZ and r=CY+CZr = CY + CZ as in the diagram.

Figure 1

We have the system of equations:
p+q=cp + q = c
p+r=bp + r = b
q+r=aq + r = a
Adding them together yields 2(p+q+r)=a+b+c2(p + q + r) = a + b + c so therefore p+q+r=sp + q + r = s. Then we simply get:
sc=(p+q+r)(p+q)=r.s - c = (p + q + r) - (p + q) = r.
Similarly p=(sa)p = (s - a) and q=(sb)q = (s - b). Hence BX=AX=AY=CY=(sa)BX' = AX = AY = CY' = (s - a), and AX=(sb)AX' = (s - b).

Now let ωC\omega_{C} be the excircle of triangle ABCABC opposite vertex CC. The circle ωC\omega_{C} is tangent to lines BCBC, ACAC and ABAB at points DD, EE and FF respectively. First we consider equal tangents from CC to ωC\omega_{C}.
CD=BC+BD=a+BFCD = BC + BD = a + BF
CE=CA+AE=b+AFCE = CA + AE = b + AF
Adding these together gives us CD+CE=a+b+(AF+BF)=a+b+cCD + CE = a + b + (AF + BF) = a + b + c. But since CD=CECD = CE (equal tangents) this implies
CD=a+b+c2=s.CD = \frac{a + b + c}{2} = s.
Therefore CD=CE=sCD = CE = s. This means BF=CDa=(sa)BF = CD - a = (s - a) and thus XX' and FF are the same point.

Figure 2

Now consider the homothety (centred at CC) that carries ω\omega to ωC\omega_{C}. This homothety sends point PP to point XX' (since C,P,XC, P, X' are colinear). It also carries the tangency point YY to EE. It follows that
CPPX=CYYE=CYCECY=scs(sc)=scc.\frac{CP}{PX'} = \frac{CY}{YE} = \frac{CY}{CE - CY} = \frac{s - c}{s - (s - c)} = \frac{s - c}{c}.
i.e. Point PP divides segment CXCX' into the ratio (sc):c(s - c):c. Also we can apply Menelaus' Theorem (BB, RR, YY' colinear) to get
CRRX×XBBA×AYYC=1\frac{CR}{RX'} \times \frac{X'B}{BA} \times \frac{AY'}{Y'C} = 1
CRRX×sac×scsa=1\frac{CR}{RX'} \times \frac{s - a}{c} \times \frac{s - c}{s - a} = 1
Hence CRRX=csc\frac{CR}{RX'} = \frac{c}{s - c}, so point RR divides segment CXCX' into the ratio c:(sc)c:(s - c). Therefore CP=XRCP = X'R as required.

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