Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / Switzerland — Second Round /4 of 9

Switzerland — Second Round, 2022

Geometry Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Switzerland

Problem:
Let k1k_{1} be a circle centred at MM and ℓ\ell a line tangent to k1k_{1} at AA. Let k2k_{2} be a circle inside k1k_{1} also tangent to ℓ\ell at AA. Let PP be a point on ℓ\ell different from AA. The second tangent to k1k_{1} through PP touches k1k_{1} at TT. Let BB be the second intersection of ATA T and k2k_{2}, and let CC be the second intersection of PBP B and k2k_{2}. Show that ATCMA T C M is a cyclic quadrilateral.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

Solution:
First, observe that
(1) ∠PAM=∠PTM=90∘\angle P A M = \angle P T M = 90^{\circ} since lines PAP A and PTP T are tangent to circle k1k_{1}.
(2) PAP A is tangent to both circles k1k_{1} and k2k_{2} by the problem condition.
(3) PA=PTP A = P T since both lines PAP A and PTP T are tangent to circle k1k_{1}. Hence triangle PATP A T is isosceles at PP.

By (1), P,A,M,TP, A, M, T lie on a circle of diameter PMP M. By using (2) and (3), one gets
∠ACP=∠ACB=(2)∠PAB=∠PAT=(3)∠PTA \angle A C P = \angle A C B \stackrel{(2)}{=} \angle P A B = \angle P A T \stackrel{(3)}{=} \angle P T A
so P,A,C,TP, A, C, T lie on a circle. Therefore, P,A,C,M,TP, A, C, M, T all lie on the circumcircle of PATP A T. In particular, ATCMA T C M is a cyclic quadrilateral, as required.

Solution 2

Solution:
Let N=PM∩ATN = P M \cap A T. Since PMP M is the perpendicular bisector of ATA T (as PT=PAP T = P A and MT=MAM T = M A), we get that NN is in fact the midpoint of segment ATA T. Now, note that triangles PNAP N A and PAMP A M are similar. Therefore, we get PNPA=PAPM\frac{P N}{P A} = \frac{P A}{P M}. Hence, by power of a point and this identity, we get
PB⋅PC=PA2=PM⋅PN P B \cdot P C = P A^{2} = P M \cdot P N
so B,C,M,NB, C, M, N lie on a circle. Therefore, since ∠MNB=∠MNA=90∘\angle M N B = \angle M N A = 90^{\circ}, B,C,M,NB, C, M, N lie on a circle of diameter BMB M. Thus, ∠PCM=90∘\angle P C M = 90^{\circ}. By (a), we conclude that P,A,C,M,TP, A, C, M, T lie on a circle of diameter PMP M.

Solution 3

Solution:
As before, we see that P,A,M,TP, A, M, T are a cyclic quadrilateral. Our aim is now to prove that ∠APT+∠TCA=180∘\angle A P T + \angle T C A = 180^{\circ}. By the theorem of the radical center, we have that (TCB)(T C B) is tangent to PTP T, as the radical axes PT,CBP T, C B and PAP A intersect in a point. Then by the tangent angle theorem, we have ∠TCA=∠TCB+∠BCA=∠TAP+∠PTA\angle T C A = \angle T C B + \angle B C A = \angle T A P + \angle P T A, allowing us to conclude.

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