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Geometry Difficulty 7.5 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it Romania

Let γ1\gamma_1 and γ2\gamma_2 be external circles in the plane, centred at O1O_1 and O2O_2, respectively. One of their external tangents touches γ1\gamma_1 at A1A_1 and γ2\gamma_2 at A2A_2. One of their internal tangents touches γ1\gamma_1 at B1B_1 and γ2\gamma_2 at B2B_2, and the other touches γ1\gamma_1 at C1C_1 and γ2\gamma_2 at C2C_2. Let B1B2B_1B_2 and C1C2C_1C_2 cross at OO. Let XX be the point where A2OA_2O crosses γ1\gamma_1 and OX<OB1OX < OB_1, and let YY be the point where A1OA_1O crosses γ2\gamma_2 and OY<OB2OY < OB_2. The perpendicular at XX to OXOX crosses the line O1B1O_1B_1 at PP, and the perpendicular at YY to OYOY crosses the line O2C2O_2C_2 at QQ. Prove that PQPQ and A1A2A_1A_2 are parallel.

Figure 1

Solution

Since the angles OXP\angle OXP and OYQ\angle OYQ are both right, the circles OXPOXP and OYQOYQ cross again at a point RR on PQPQ, and OROR is perpendicular to PQPQ. Letting A1C1A_1C_1 and A2B2A_2B_2 cross at SS, the conclusion then follows at once from the two facts below:
(1) SS lies on OROR; and
(2) OSOS is perpendicular to A1A2A_1A_2.

To prove (1), invert from OO with power OB1OB2-OB_1 \cdot OB_2. Under this inversion, γ1\gamma_1 and γ2\gamma_2 correspond to one another, and so do the points in each of the pairs (A1,Y)(A_1, Y), (B1,B2)(B_1, B_2), (C1,C2)(C_1, C_2) and (X,A2)(X, A_2).

Clearly, B1B_1 lies on the circle OXPOXP, so this latter is mapped to A2B2A_2B_2. Similarly, the circle OYQOYQ (through C2C_2) is mapped to A1C1A_1C_1.
Consequently, RR is mapped to SS. This establishes (1).

To prove (2), let A1A2A_1A_2 cross B1B2B_1B_2 and C1C2C_1C_2 at D1D_1 and D2D_2, respectively; let O1O2O_1O_2 cross A1C1A_1C_1 and A2B2A_2B_2 at X1X_1 and X2X_2, respectively; and let A1C1A_1C_1 cross O1D1O_1D_1 at Y1Y_1, and A2B2A_2B_2 cross O2D2O_2D_2 at Y2Y_2. The argument hinges on the following two facts:
(3) X1X_1 and Y1Y_1 both lie on the circle ω1\omega_1 on diameter OD1OD_1; similarly, X2X_2 and Y2Y_2 both lie on the circle ω2\omega_2 on diameter OD2OD_2; and
(4) X1,X2,Y1,Y2X_1, X_2, Y_1, Y_2 all lie on a circle ω\omega.
Assume (3) and (4) to establish (2) as follows: X1Y1X_1Y_1, i.e., A1C1A_1C_1, is the radical axis of ω\omega and ω1\omega_1, and X2Y2X_2Y_2, i.e., A2B2A_2B_2, is the radical axis of ω\omega and ω2\omega_2. Hence SS is the radical centre of the three circles. As such, SS lies on the radical axis of ω1\omega_1 and ω2\omega_2. These two circles cross again at the orthogonal projection OO' of OO on D1D2D_1D_2, i.e., on A1A2A_1A_2, and OOOO' is their radical axis. Consequently, SS lies on OOOO' and (2) follows.

We now turn to prove (3) and (4).
To prove (3) only X1X_1 and Y1Y_1 are dealt with. It is sufficient to show that the angles O1X1D1\angle O_1X_1D_1 and OY1O1\angle OY_1O_1 are both right.
To prove that the angle O1X1D1\angle O_1X_1D_1 is right, we show that X1X_1 lies on the circle on diameter O1D1O_1D_1. Clearly, A1A_1 and B1B_1 both lie on this circle, so it is sufficient to show that O1A1X1=O1B1X1\angle O_1A_1X_1 = \angle O_1B_1X_1. Now, O1A1X1=O1A1C1=O1C1A1=O1C1X1\angle O_1A_1X_1 = \angle O_1A_1C_1 = \angle O_1C_1A_1 = \angle O_1C_1X_1, since O1A1=O1C1O_1A_1 = O_1C_1 (they both are radii of γ1\gamma_1). On the other hand, C1C_1 and B1B_1 are reflexions of one another in OO1OO_1, so O1C1X1=O1B1X1\angle O_1C_1X_1 = \angle O_1B_1X_1. Consequently, O1A1X1=O1B1X1\angle O_1A_1X_1 = \angle O_1B_1X_1, as desired.
The proof that the angle OY1O1\angle OY_1O_1 is right is quite similar: This time we show that Y1Y_1 lies on the circle on diameter OO1OO_1. Clearly, B1B_1 and C1C_1 both lie on this circle, so it is sufficient to show that O1B1Y1=O1C1Y1\angle O_1B_1Y_1 = \angle O_1C_1Y_1. Notice that B1B_1 and A1A_1 are reflexions of one another in O1D1O_1D_1, to write O1B1Y1=O1A1Y1\angle O_1B_1Y_1 = \angle O_1A_1Y_1. Refer now again to O1A1=O1C1O_1A_1 = O_1C_1, to write O1A1Y1=O1A1C1=O1C1A1=O1C1Y1\angle O_1A_1Y_1 = \angle O_1A_1C_1 = \angle O_1C_1A_1 = \angle O_1C_1Y_1 and conclude that O1B1Y1=O1C1Y1O_1B_1Y_1 = \angle O_1C_1Y_1. This establishes (3).

Finally, proving (4) requires more work. We will show that X1Y1Y2+X1X2Y2=180\angle X_1Y_1Y_2+\angle X_1X_2Y_2 = 180^\circ. Clearly, X1Y1Y2=180(O1Y1X1+D1Y1Y2)\angle X_1Y_1Y_2 = 180^\circ-(\angle O_1Y_1X_1+\angle D_1Y_1Y_2), so it is sufficient to prove that
X1X2Y2=O1Y1X1+D1Y1Y2.() \angle X_1X_2Y_2 = \angle O_1Y_1X_1 + \angle D_1Y_1Y_2. \quad (*)
Deal with each angle in the right-hand member separately. By (3), O1Y1X1=O1OD1\angle O_1Y_1X_1 = \angle O_1OD_1, and an obvious angle chase yields O1OD1=O1OB1=O2OB2=O2OC2=O2OD2\angle O_1OD_1 = \angle O_1OB_1 = \angle O_2OB_2 = \angle O_2OC_2 = \angle O_2OD_2. Hence O1Y1X1=O2OD2\angle O_1Y_1X_1 = \angle O_2OD_2.
To deal with D1Y1Y2\angle D_1Y_1Y_2, let O1D1O_1D_1 and O2D2O_2D_2 cross at ZZ. By (3), the angles OY1D1\angle OY_1D_1 and OY2D2\angle OY_2D_2 are both right, so OY1ZY2OY_1ZY_2 is cyclic, and hence D1Y1Y2=ZY1Y2=ZOY2\angle D_1Y_1Y_2 = \angle ZY_1Y_2 = \angle ZOY_2.
Thus, (*) now reads
X1X2Y2=O2OD2+ZOY2.() \angle X_1X_2Y_2 = \angle O_2OD_2 + \angle ZOY_2. \quad (**)
Our purpose now is to replace ZOY2\angle ZOY_2 by a more tractable angle. To this end, notice that O1D1O_1D_1 is the internal angle bisectrix of A1D1B1\angle A_1D_1B_1, and O2D1O_2D_1 is the internal angle bisectrix of A2D1B2\angle A_2D_1B_2, so O1D1O_1D_1 and O2D1O_2D_1 are perpendicular; that is, O2D1O_2D_1 is the O2O_2-altitude of the triangle ZO1O2ZO_1O_2. Similarly, O1D2O_1D_2 is the O1O_1-altitude of the triangle ZO1O2ZO_1O_2, so it crosses O2D1O_2D_1 at the orthocentre HH of this triangle.
On the other hand, O2D1O_2D_1 and O1D2O_1D_2 are clearly the internal angle bisectrices of the triangle OD1D2OD_1D_2 at D1D_1 and D2D_2, respectively. Hence OHOH is the internal angle bisectrix of D1OD2\angle D_1OD_2. As such, it is perpendicular to external bisectrix O1O2O_1O_2 of this angle. Recalling that HH is the orthocentre of the triangle ZO1O2ZO_1O_2, it follows that OHOH is the ZZ-altitude of this triangle.
Hence ZOY2=HOY2\angle ZOY_2 = \angle HOY_2, and (**) now reads
X1X2Y2=O2OD2+HOY2. \angle X_1X_2Y_2 = \angle O_2OD_2 + \angle HOY_2.
To prove this, split X1X2Y2=X1X2D2+D2X2Y2\angle X_1X_2Y_2 = \angle X_1X_2D_2 + \angle D_2X_2Y_2. The angle X1X2D2=OX2D2\angle X_1X_2D_2 = \angle OX_2D_2 is right, by (3). As such, X1X2D2=HOX2\angle X_1X_2D_2 = \angle HOX_2, since OHOH is perpendicular to O1O2O_1O_2. Split further HOX2=HOY2+Y2OX2\angle HOX_2 = \angle HOY_2 + \angle Y_2OX_2, to write X1X2D2=HOY2+Y2OX2\angle X_1X_2D_2 = \angle HOY_2 + \angle Y_2OX_2. By (3), D2X2Y2=D2OY2\angle D_2X_2Y_2 = \angle D_2OY_2, so X1X2Y2=HOY2+Y2OX2+D2OY2=HOY2+D2OX2\angle X_1X_2Y_2 = \angle HOY_2 + \angle Y_2OX_2 + \angle D_2OY_2 = \angle HOY_2 + \angle D_2OX_2, as desired. This establishes (4) and completes the proof.

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