Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.0 AIME Prove it United States

Problem:

Let XX, YY, and ZZ be the points on the sides BCBC, CACA, and ABAB of the triangle ABCABC, such that XYZABC\triangle XYZ \sim \triangle ABC (X=A\angle X = \angle A, Y=B\angle Y = \angle B). Prove that the orthocenter of XYZ\triangle XYZ coincides with the circumcenter of ABC\triangle ABC.

Solution

Solution:

Let xx, yy, and zz be the points passing through XX, YY, and ZZ, parallel to YZYZ, ZXZX, and XYXY. Let PP, QQ, and RR be the intersection point of the lines yy and zz; zz and xx; xx and yy, respectively. Then we have PQRXYZ\triangle PQR \sim \triangle XYZ. The points XX, YY, and ZZ are respectively the midpoints of RQRQ, QPQP, and PRPR. Let MM be the orthocenter of XYZ\triangle XYZ. Obviously, MM is the circumcenter of PQR\triangle PQR and ZMY=180X=180P=180A\angle ZMY = 180^{\circ} - \angle X = 180^{\circ} - \angle P = 180^{\circ} - \angle A. Hence the points PP, AA, ZZ, MM, and YY belong to a circle. In a similar way we prove that the points ZZ, BB, RR, XX and MM belong to a circle. Then PMA=PZA=BZR=BMR\angle PMA = \angle PZA = \angle BZR = \angle BMR. Since MR=MPMR = MP and PAM=BRM=90\angle PAM = \angle BRM = 90^{\circ}, we conclude that MA=MBMA = MB. Analogously we conclude that MA=MCMA = MC implying that MM is the circumcenter of ABC\triangle ABC.

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