Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Estonia

A point XX is chosen on the median ADAD of triangle ABCABC. The circumcircle of triangle ABXABX intersects the median BEBE of triangle ABCABC at point YBY \neq B. The circumcircle of triangle EXYEXY intersects the line DEDE at point KEK \neq E. Prove that the location of KK does not depend on XX.

Solution

We will use directed angles (Fig. 3 and 4 depict both possible configurations). As DEDE is a midline in ABCABC, we have DEABDE \parallel AB. Thus
DEY=DEB=ABE=ABY=AXY=DXY. \angle DEY = \angle DEB = \angle ABE = \angle ABY = \angle AXY = \angle DXY.
Therefore points DD, EE, XX, YY are concyclic. This means that the circumcircle of EXYEXY intersects DEDE at DD. Thus K=DK = D, i.e. the midpoint of BCBC, regardless of the choice of XX.

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