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Geometry Difficulty 8.7 Shortlist Prove it China

As illustrated in Fig. 2.1, in the acute ABC\triangle ABC, AB<ACAB < AC, II is the incentre, and O\odot O is the circumcentre. Let MM, NN be the midpoints of BAC\text{BAC} and BC\text{BC}, respectively. Let DD be a point on AC\text{AC} such that AD//BCAD // BC. The inscribed circle of ABC\triangle ABC against BAC\angle BAC touches BCBC at EE. Let FF be a point inside ABC\triangle ABC, satisfying IF//BCIF // BC and BAF=CAE\angle BAF = \angle CAE. The line NFNF meets O\odot O at RR other than NN, the lines AFAF and DIDI meet at KK, and the lines ARAR and IFIF meet at LL.
Prove: NKMLNK \perp ML.

Solution

Fig. 2.1

First, we need a lemma.

Lemma Let RR' be the midpoint of BCBC. Then AMI=IRB\angle AMI = \angle IR'B, IR//AEIR' // AE.

Proof of lemma As illustrated in Fig. 2.2, let IbI_b and IcI_c be the escentres of ABC\triangle ABC relative to the vertices BB and CC, respectively. Then A,M,IbA, M, I_b, and IcI_c are collinear. As IbBIc=IbCIc=90\angle I_bBI_c = \angle I_bCI_c = 90^\circ, the points B,C,IbB, C, I_b, and IcI_c all lie on the circle with diameter IbIcI_bI_c; since MB=MCMB = MC, MM is the centre of this circle, MIb=MIcMI_b = MI_c. Since IbIcICB\triangle I_bI_c \sim \triangle ICB, M,RM, R' are midpoints of IbIcI_bI_c and BCBC, respectively, it follows that AMI=IRB\angle AMI = \angle IR'B.

Let the incircle I\odot I of ABC\triangle ABC touch BCBC at ZZ and ZWZW be a diameter. Through WW, draw a line parallel to BCBC that crosses ABAB, ACAC at B1B_1, C1C_1, respectively. Then B1C1//BCB_1C_1 // BC. Since A1B1C1\triangle A_1B_1C_1 and ABC\triangle ABC are homothetic with centre AA, WW and EE are correspondent points, it follows that A,W,EA, W, E are collinear. Finally, from properties of escribed circles, we infer that BZ=CEBZ = CE, RR' is the midpoint of ZEZE, as II is the midpoint of ZWZW, IR//AEIR' // AE. The lemma is verified.

Return to the original problem. Let SS be the intersection of AIAI and BCBC. Then
AIF=ASB=SAC+ACS=BCN+ACS=ACN=180ARN, \begin{align*} \angle AIF &= \angle ASB = \angle SAC + \angle ACS \\ &= \angle BCN + \angle ACS \\ &= \angle ACN = 180^\circ - \angle ARN, \end{align*}
indicating that A,I,FA, I, F, and RR lie on a circle, say ω\omega, as shown in Fig. 2.3.

Suppose the lines AFAF and MIMI intersect at XX. We show that XX is on O\odot O. By the lemma,
AMI=IRB=AEB,also AMN=ACN=ASB, thusIMN=AMNAMI=ASBAEB=IAE. \begin{align*} \angle AMI &= \angle IRB = \angle AEB, \\ \text{also } \angle AMN &= \angle ACN = \angle ASB, \text{ thus} \\ \angle IMN &= \angle AMN - \angle AMI \\ &= \angle ASB - \angle AEB \\ &= \angle IAE. \end{align*}
It is given that IAE=FAI\angle IAE = \angle FAI, hence IMN=FAI\angle IMN = \angle FAI, A,M,NA, M, N, and XX are concyclic, that is, XX lies on O\odot O.

Let YY be the other intersection of the line DIDI and O\odot O. Clearly,
IYX=DYX=DAX=IFX, \angle IYX = \angle DYX = \angle DAX = \angle IFX,
and I,X,Y,FI, X, Y, F lie on a circle, say T\odot T.

Through MM, draw the tangent line MGMG of O\odot O (GG and YY are on the same side of MNMN), MG//IFMG // IF. Then
YMG=MXY=IXY=YFL, \angle YMG = \angle MXY = \angle IXY = \angle YFL,
yielding the collinearity of Y,F,MY, F, M. Apply the radical axis theorem to O,ω\odot O, \odot \omega, and T\odot T, to derive the collinearity of X,YX, Y, and LL. In the cyclic quadrilateral IXYFIXYF, apply Brocard's theorem to derive the orthocentre TT of MKL\triangle MKL, TKMLTK \perp ML.

Finally, in TFI\triangle TFI and NAD\triangle NAD, TF=TI,NA=NDTF = TI, NA = ND, and
FTI=2FXI=2AXM=AND. \angle FTI = 2\angle FXI = 2\angle AXM = \angle AND.
Observing FI//BC//ADFI // BC // AD, we conclude that TFI\triangle TFI and NAD\triangle NAD are homothetic with centre KK, and moreover K,T,NK, T, N are collinear.

From TKMLTK \perp ML and the collinearity of K,T,N,NKMLK, T, N, NK \perp ML follows. \square

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