Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral with AC⊥BD. Prove that there exist points P,Q,R,S on the sides AB,BC,CD,DA, respectively, such that PR⊥QS and the area of quadrilateral PQRS is exactly half that of ABCD.
Solution
Solution: Denote the area of Γ by [Γ]. Let E be the intersection of AC and BD. From any point P′ on AB, we construct points Q′,R′,S′ as follows: Let the line P′E intersect CD at R′. Let ℓ be the line perpendicular to P′R′ at E. Let ℓ intersect BC,DA at Q′,S′ respectively.
Define a continuous function f from a point P′ on AB to the interval [0,1] by f(P′)=[ABCD][P′Q′R′S′] where Q′,R′,S′ are constructed as above.
We see that f(A)=f(B)=1. If we can find a point P′ on AB such that f(P′)≤21, then by continuity there exists a point P on AB such that f(P)=21. Then the construction above will yield the points P,Q,R,S as required.
Next, we prove that f(P′)≤21 if EP′ bisects ∠AEB. We see that, in such case, EQ′,ER′,ES′ bisect ∠BEC,∠CED,∠DEA respectively.
Let a,b,c be the lengths of EA,EB,EC respectively. We have that the lengths of EP′,EQ′ are a+b2ab, b+c2bc respectively. It follows from the AM-GM inequality that (a+b)(b+c)(ab+bc)≥8abbcab⋅bc=8ab⋅bc, or [ABC]=21(ab+bc)≥4a+babb+cbc=4[EP′Q′] Similarly, [ABCD]=21([ABC]+[BCD]+[CDA]+[DAB])≥21(4[EP′Q′]+4[EQ′R′]+4[ER′S′]+4[ES′P′])=2[P′Q′R′S′] So, f(P′)≤21 as required.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.