Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /2 of 6

Geometry Difficulty 6.3 National Olympiad Prove it United States

In scalene triangle ABCABC, let the feet of the perpendiculars from AA to BCBC, BB to CACA, CC to ABAB be A1A_1, B1B_1, C1C_1, respectively. Denote by A2A_2 the intersection of lines BCBC and B1C1B_1C_1. Define B2B_2 and C2C_2 analogously. Let DD, EE, FF be the respective midpoints of sides BCBC, CACA, ABAB. Show that the perpendiculars from DD to AA2AA_2, EE to BB2BB_2, and FF to CC2CC_2 are concurrent.
(This problem was suggested by Ian Le.)

Solution

We claim that the point of concurrency is HH, the orthocenter of triangle ABCABC. By symmetry, it suffices to show that the perpendicular from DD to AA2AA_2 passes through HH.

Let A3A_3 be the projection of DD onto AA2AA_2. Because AA1D=AA3D=90\angle AA_1D = \angle AA_3D = 90^\circ and BC1C=BB1C=90\angle BC_1C = \angle BB_1C = 90^\circ, quadrilaterals AA3A1DAA_3A_1D and BC1B1CBC_1B_1C are cyclic. Notice now that points DD, EE, FF, A1A_1, B1B_1, and C1C_1 lie on the nine-point circle of triangle ABCABC. Further, by Power of a point on cyclic quadrilaterals AA3A1DAA_3A_1D, A1DC1B1A_1DC_1B_1, and BCB1C1BCB_1C_1, we obtain
A2A3A2A=A2A1A2D=A2B1A2C1=A2BA2C. A_2A_3 \cdot A_2A = A_2A_1 \cdot A_2D = A_2B_1 \cdot A_2C_1 = A_2B \cdot A_2C.
By the converse of Power of a point, it follows that A3A_3 lies on the circumcircle ω\omega of ABCABC.

Extend segment AA1AA_1 through A1A_1 to meet ω\omega at H2H_2. Then
A1BH2=CBH2=CAH2=CAA1=90ACB=B1BC=HBA1. \angle A_1 BH_2 = \angle CBH_2 = \angle CAH_2 = \angle CAA_1 = 90^\circ - \angle ACB = \angle B_1 BC = \angle HBA_1.
That is, in triangle HBH2HBH_2, segment BA1BA_1 bisects HBH2\angle HBH_2 and is the altitude from BB to side HH2HH_2. Hence, HBH2HBH_2 is isosceles and HA1=A1H2HA_1 = A_1H_2.

Reflect HH through DD to obtain H3H_3. Then DA1DA_1 is the midline of right triangle HH2H3HH_2H_3. Let MM be the midpoint of H2H3H_2H_3. Then DMDM is a midline of right triangle HH2H3HH_2H_3. In particular, DMBCDM \perp BC and so DMDM passes through the circumcenter OO of triangle ABCABC. Because MOMO is the perpendicular bisector of segment H2H3H_2H_3 and H3H_3 lies on ω\omega, H2H_2 also lies on ω\omega. Because AH2H3=90\angle AH_2H_3 = 90^\circ, AH3AH_3 is a diameter of ω\omega, which implies that AA3H3=90\angle AA_3H_3 = 90^\circ and hence HH lies on DA3DA_3, as needed.

Figure 1

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 reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.