Problem: Let A,B,C,D be four points on a circle (occurring in clockwise order), with AB<AD and BC>CD. Let the bisector of angle BAD meet the circle at X and the bisector of angle BCD meet the circle at Y. Consider the hexagon formed by these six points on the circle. If four of the six sides of the hexagon have equal length, prove that BD must be a diameter of the circle.
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
Solution: We're given that AB<AD. Since CY bisects ∡BCD, BY=YD, so Y lies between D and A on the circle, as in the diagram above, and DY>YA, DY>AB. Similar reasoning confirms that X lies between B and C and BX>XC, BX>CD. So if ABXCDY has 4 equal sides, then it must be that YA=AB=XC=CD. Let ∡BAX=∡DAX=α and let ∡BCY=∡DCY=γ. Since ABCD is cyclic, ∡A+∡C=180∘, which implies that α+γ=90∘. The fact that YA=AB=XC=CD means that the arc from Y to B (which is subtended by ∡YCB) is equal to the arc from X to D (which is subtended by ∡XAD). Hence ∡YCB=∡XAD, so α=γ=45∘. Finally, BD is subtended by ∡BAD=2α=90∘. Therefore BD is a diameter of the circle.
Solution 2
Solution: We're given that AB<AD. Since CY bisects ∡BCD, BY=YD, so Y lies between D and A on the circle, as in the diagram above, and DY>YA, DY>AB. Similar reasoning confirms that X lies between B and C and BX>XC, BX>CD. So if ABXCDY has 4 equal sides, then it must be that YA=AB=XC=CD. This implies that the arc from Y to B is equal to the arc from X to D and hence that YB=XD. Since ∡BAX=∡XAD, BX=XD and since ∡DCY=∡YCB, DY=YB. Therefore BXDY is a square and its diagonal, BD, must be a diameter of the circle.
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