Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /12 of 18

Geometry Difficulty 6.4 National olympiad Prove it Ukraine

Inside an equilateral triangle ABCABC point MM is chosen. Let points M1M_1, M2M_2, M3M_3 be symmetric corresponding to sides BCBC, ACAC, ABAB of the triangle. Prove that MM1+MM2+MM3\overrightarrow{MM_1} + \overrightarrow{MM_2} + \overrightarrow{MM_3} is equal to MA+MB+MC\overrightarrow{MA} + \overrightarrow{MB} + \overrightarrow{MC}.
(Tereshin Dmitro)

Solution

Let us draw through point MM lines that are parallel to sides ABCABC. Let them intersect ABAB, BCBC, ACAC at C1C_1, C2C_2; A1A_1, A2A_2; B1B_1, B2B_2 (Fig. 30).

Figure 1

Hence, C1A2ACC_1A_2 \parallel AC, A1B2BAA_1B_2 \parallel BA, B1C2BCB_1C_2 \parallel BC, so C1A2C_1A_2, A1B2A_1B_2 and B1C2B_1C_2 intersect at MM. Consider A1MA2\triangle A_1MA_2. Obviously, this triangle is equilateral. Line M1MM_1M contains its altitude, because it is perpendicular to BCBC. So M1MM_1M is doubled median,

hence MA1+MA2=MM1\overrightarrow{MA_1} + \overrightarrow{MA_2} = \overrightarrow{MM_1}, similarly MB1+MB2=MM2\overrightarrow{MB_1} + \overrightarrow{MB_2} = \overrightarrow{MM_2} and MC1+MC2=MM3\overrightarrow{MC_1} + \overrightarrow{MC_2} = \overrightarrow{MM_3}. On the other hand MC1AB2MC_1AB_2 is a parallelogram, so MA=MC1+MB2\overrightarrow{MA} = \overrightarrow{MC_1} + \overrightarrow{MB_2}. Similarly MB=MC2+MA1\overrightarrow{MB} = \overrightarrow{MC_2} + \overrightarrow{MA_1} and MC=MA2+MB1\overrightarrow{MC} = \overrightarrow{MA_2} + \overrightarrow{MB_1}. Hence:

MM1+MM2+MM3=MA1+MA2+MB1+MB2+MC1+MC2=MA+MB+MC. \overrightarrow{MM_1} + \overrightarrow{MM_2} + \overrightarrow{MM_3} = \overrightarrow{MA_1} + \overrightarrow{MA_2} + \overrightarrow{MB_1} + \overrightarrow{MB_2} + \overrightarrow{MC_1} + \overrightarrow{MC_2} = \overrightarrow{MA} + \overrightarrow{MB} + \overrightarrow{MC}.

Looking for a route rather than 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.