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Geometry Difficulty 8.4 Shortlist Prove it Netherlands

Two circles Γ1\Gamma_1 and Γ2\Gamma_2 are given with centres O1O_1 and O2O_2 and common exterior tangents 1\ell_1 and 2\ell_2. The line 1\ell_1 intersects Γ1\Gamma_1 in AA and Γ2\Gamma_2 in BB. Let XX be a point on segment O1O2O_1O_2, not lying on Γ1\Gamma_1 or Γ2\Gamma_2. The segment AXAX intersects Γ1\Gamma_1 in YAY \neq A and the segment BXBX intersects Γ2\Gamma_2 in ZBZ \neq B. Prove that the line through YY tangent to Γ1\Gamma_1 and the line through ZZ tangent to Γ2\Gamma_2 intersect each other on 2\ell_2.

Solution

Figure 1

We consider the configuration in which YY lies between AA and XX; the other configurations are treated analogously. Let CC be the intersection of 2\ell_2 and Γ1\Gamma_1. Then CC is the reflection of AA in O1O2O_1O_2. We get
O1YX=180O1YA(straight angle)=180YAO1(O1YA is isosceles)=180XAO1(A is the reflection of C in O1X)=180XCO1(A is the reflection of C in O1X) \begin{align*} \angle O_1YX &= 180^\circ - \angle O_1YA && \text{(straight angle)} \\ &= 180^\circ - \angle YAO_1 && \text{($O_1YA$ is isosceles)} \\ &= 180^\circ - \angle XAO_1 && \text{($A$ is the reflection of $C$ in $O_1X$)} \\ &= 180^\circ - \angle XCO_1 && \text{($A$ is the reflection of $C$ in $O_1X$)} \end{align*}
which yields that O1CXYO_1CXY is cyclic.

Now let SS be the intersection of the line through YY tangent to Γ1\Gamma_1, and the line 2\ell_2. Then both SCSC and SYSY are tangent to Γ1\Gamma_1, hence we have SCO1=90=SYO1\angle SCO_1 = 90^\circ = \angle SYO_1, and O1CSYO_1CSY is cyclic.

We see that both XX and SS lie on the circle through O1O_1, CC, and YY. Therefore, we have SXO1=SYO1=90\angle SXO_1 = \angle SYO_1 = 90^\circ. We conclude that SXSX is perpendicular to O1O2O_1O_2. Analogously, for the intersection SS' of the line through ZZ tangent to Γ2\Gamma_2, and the line 2\ell_2, we can deduce that SXS'X is perpendicular to O1O2O_1O_2. Because SS and SS' both lie on 2\ell_2, we have S=SS = S'. Hence the two tangents intersect each other on 2\ell_2. \square

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