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Geometry Difficulty 6.4 National Olympiad Prove it Ireland

The altitudes of a triangle ABCABC are used to form the sides of a second triangle A1B1C1A_1B_1C_1. The altitudes of A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1 are then used to form the sides of a third triangle A2B2C2A_2B_2C_2. Prove that A2B2C2\triangle A_2B_2C_2 is similar to ABC\triangle ABC.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

For ABC\triangle ABC, let the altitude ADAD standing on the base BCBC have length pp, let the altitude BEBE standing on the base ACAC have length qq, and let the altitude CFCF standing on the base ABAB have length rr.

Figure 1

Step 1: Then ADC\triangle ADC is similar to BEC\triangle BEC and so pq=ba\frac{p}{q} = \frac{b}{a} using the usual notation for the sides of the triangle ABCABC.

Step 2: Let A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1 have side lengths B1C1=pB_1C_1 = p, C1A1=qC_1A_1 = q and A1B1=rA_1B_1 = r. Let the altitude standing on the base B1C1B_1C_1 have length p1p_1, let the altitude standing on the base C1A1C_1A_1 have length q1q_1, and let the altitude standing on the base A1B1A_1B_1 have length r1r_1. Then, similar reasoning to that of Step 1 yields p1q1=qp\frac{p_1}{q_1} = \frac{q}{p}. Using the result of Step 1 then yields p1q1=ab\frac{p_1}{q_1} = \frac{a}{b}.

Step 3: Reasoning as in the previous Step, we obtain q1r1=bc\frac{q_1}{r_1} = \frac{b}{c} and r1p1=ca\frac{r_1}{p_1} = \frac{c}{a}, and so A2B2C2\triangle A_2B_2C_2 is similar to ABC\triangle ABC.

Step 1: Let Δ\Delta denote the area of ABC\triangle ABC. Then the altitudes of ABC\triangle ABC are equal to p=2Δap = \frac{2\Delta}{a}, q=2Δbq = \frac{2\Delta}{b} and r=2Δcr = \frac{2\Delta}{c}, using the usual notation for the sides of the triangle ABCABC.

Step 2: Next let Δ1\Delta_1 denote the area of A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1. Then the altitudes of A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1 are equal to p1=2Δ1p=Δ1Δap_1 = \frac{2\Delta_1}{p} = \frac{\Delta_1}{\Delta}a, q1=2Δ1q=Δ1Δbq_1 = \frac{2\Delta_1}{q} = \frac{\Delta_1}{\Delta}b and r1=2Δ1r=Δ1Δcr_1 = \frac{2\Delta_1}{r} = \frac{\Delta_1}{\Delta}c.

Step 3: From the above, ap1=bq1=cr1\frac{a}{p_1} = \frac{b}{q_1} = \frac{c}{r_1}, so that A2B2C2\triangle A_2B_2C_2 is similar to ABC\triangle ABC.

Solution 2

Step 1: Let Δ\Delta denote the area of ABC\triangle ABC. Then the altitudes of ABC\triangle ABC are equal to p=2Δap = \frac{2\Delta}{a}, q=2Δbq = \frac{2\Delta}{b} and r=2Δcr = \frac{2\Delta}{c}, using the usual notation for the sides of the triangle ABCABC.

Step 2: Let A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1 have side lengths B1C1=pB_1C_1 = p, C1A1=qC_1A_1 = q and A1B1=rA_1B_1 = r. Let the altitude standing on the base B1C1B_1C_1 have length p1p_1, let the altitude standing on the base C1A1C_1A_1 have length q1q_1, and let the altitude standing on the base A1B1A_1B_1 have length r1r_1. Then, similar reasoning to that of Step 1 yields p1q1=qp\frac{p_1}{q_1} = \frac{q}{p}. Using the result of Step 1 then yields p1q1=ab\frac{p_1}{q_1} = \frac{a}{b}.

Step 3: Reasoning as in the previous Step, we obtain q1r1=bc\frac{q_1}{r_1} = \frac{b}{c} and r1p1=ca\frac{r_1}{p_1} = \frac{c}{a}, and so A2B2C2\triangle A_2B_2C_2 is similar to ABC\triangle ABC.

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