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IRL ABooklet

Geometry Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it Ireland

Two circles Ω1\Omega_1 and Ω2\Omega_2 intersect at AA and BB. From any point PP on Ω1\Omega_1 straight lines are drawn through AA and BB meeting Ω2\Omega_2 again at EE and FF, respectively. Prove that the length of the line segment EFEF is the same for all PP on Ω1\Omega_1.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Solution 1. Draw the tangent to Ω1\Omega_1 at AA and let HH be its second point of intersection with Ω2\Omega_2. First suppose PP is not inside circle Ω2\Omega_2.

Figure 1

By the Alternate Segment Theorem, ∠HAE=∠PBA\angle HAE = \angle PBA. From the cyclic quadrilateral ABFEABFE we see that ∠PBA=∠AEF\angle PBA = \angle AEF, hence ∠HAE=∠AEF\angle HAE = \angle AEF. We also have ∠FAH=∠FEH\angle FAH = \angle FEH (standing on the same arc of Ω2\Omega_2). Therefore,
∠FAE=∠FAH+∠HAE=∠FEH+∠AEF=∠AEH. \angle FAE = \angle FAH + \angle HAE = \angle FEH + \angle AEF = \angle AEH.
This implies that the segment EFEF has the same length as AHAH. If PP is inside circle Ω2\Omega_2, we can proceed in a similar way.

Figure 2

Looking at triangle PBEPBE we find that ∠FBE=∠BPA−∠BEA\angle FBE = \angle BPA - \angle BEA. The Alternate Segment Theorem shows that the angle between ABAB and the tangent AHAH is equal to ∠BPA\angle BPA. From cyclic quadrilateral ABEHABEH we see that the same angle between ABAB and the tangent AHAH is equal to ∠BEH\angle BEH. Hence,
∠FBE=∠BPA−∠BEA=∠BEH−∠BEA=∠AEH. \angle FBE = \angle BPA - \angle BEA = \angle BEH - \angle BEA = \angle AEH.
Therefore, for each PP on Ω1\Omega_1, segments EFEF and AHAH have the same length.

Solution 2

Solution 2. The length of the chord EF of circle Ω2\Omega_2 is determined by angle ∠FAE\angle FAE. First suppose PP is not inside circle Ω2\Omega_2.

Figure 3

In this case ∠FAE\angle FAE is an external angle of triangle PFAPFA, hence is equal to ∠APF+∠AFP\angle APF + \angle AFP. These two angles are the same for each point PP on Ω1\Omega_1, because ∠APF\angle APF stands on the arc ABAB of circle Ω1\Omega_1, and ∠AFP\angle AFP stands on the arc ABAB of circle Ω2\Omega_2.

Figure 4

If PP is on the arc of Ω1\Omega_1 that is inside the circle Ω2\Omega_2, the angle ∠FAE\angle FAE is an internal angle of triangle PFAPFA and so is equal to 180∘−(∠APF+∠AFP)180^\circ - (\angle APF + \angle AFP). This angle subtends the same chord as the angle ∠APF+∠AFP\angle APF + \angle AFP, which does not change when PP varies, and which has the same value as in the other case. Hence, ∠FAE\angle FAE is the same for each point PP on Ω1\Omega_1.

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