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Geometry Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it China

Suppose n2n \ge 2 is a positive integer, and A1A2A2nA_1A_2 \cdots A_{2n} is a convex 2n2n-gon inscribed in a circle. It is known that there exists a point PP inside this 2n2n-gon such that
PA1A2=PA2A3==PA2n1A2n=PA2nA1. \angle PA_1A_2 = \angle PA_2A_3 = \cdots = \angle PA_{2n-1}A_{2n} = \angle PA_{2n}A_1.
Prove that the following equation holds
i=1nA2i1A2i=i=1nA2iA2i+1, \prod_{i=1}^{n} |A_{2i-1}A_{2i}| = \prod_{i=1}^{n} |A_{2i}A_{2i+1}|,
where A2n+1=A1A_{2n+1} = A_1.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

All subscripts are to be understood modulo 2n2n. Denote PA1A2=PA2A3==α\angle PA_1A_2 = \angle PA_2A_3 = \cdots = \alpha. For 1i2n1 \le i \le 2n, extend AiPA_iP to intersect the circumference at point BiB_i. Note that
AiBiBi1=AiAi1P=Ai+1AiBi=α. \angle A_iB_iB_{i-1} = \angle A_iA_{i-1}P = \angle A_{i+1}A_iB_i = \alpha.
Hence, AiAi+1Bi1BiA_iA_{i+1}B_{i-1}B_i is an isosceles trapezoid. (In fact, B1B2B2nB_1B_2 \cdots B_{2n} is the polygon obtained by rotating A2A3A2nA1A_2A_3 \cdots A_{2n}A_1 in the clockwise direction by 2α2\alpha on the circumference.) In particular, AiAi+1=Bi1BiA_iA_{i+1} = B_{i-1}B_i. Also, by Ai1PAiBiPBi1\triangle A_{i-1}PA_i \sim \triangle B_iPB_{i-1}, we get
()Ai1PBiP=AiPBi1P=Ai1AiBi1Bi=Ai1AiAiAi+1. (*) \qquad \frac{A_{i-1}P}{B_iP} = \frac{A_iP}{B_{i-1}P} = \frac{A_{i-1}A_i}{B_{i-1}B_i} = \frac{A_{i-1}A_i}{A_iA_{i+1}}.
Taking the product of the first and last equalities in (*) over all odd ii, we get
i=1nA2i2A2i1A2i1A2i=i=1nA2i2PB2i1P. \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-2}A_{2i-1}}{A_{2i-1}A_{2i}} = \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-2}P}{B_{2i-1}P}.

Taking the product of the second and last equalities in (*) over all even ii, we get
i=1nA2i1A2iA2iA2i+1=i=1nA2iPB2i1P. \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-1}A_{2i}}{A_{2i}A_{2i+1}} = \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i}P}{B_{2i-1}P}.
Noting that the right-hand sides of the two equations above are equal, we have
i=1nA2i2A2i1A2i1A2i=i=1nA2i1A2iA2iA2i+1i=1n(A2iA2i+1)2=i=1n(A2i1A2i)2. \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-2}A_{2i-1}}{A_{2i-1}A_{2i}} = \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-1}A_{2i}}{A_{2i}A_{2i+1}} \Rightarrow \prod_{i=1}^{n} (A_{2i}A_{2i+1})^2 = \prod_{i=1}^{n} (A_{2i-1}A_{2i})^2.
This completes the proof of the problem. \Box

Solution 2

Draw line A1A4A_1A_4 intersecting line PA3PA_3 at point HH. Given that points A1,A2,A3,A4A_1, A_2, A_3, A_4 are concyclic, we have
A2A1A4=180A2A3A4=180A2A3PPA3A4=180A2A3PA3A2P=A2PA3. \begin{aligned} \angle A_2A_1A_4 &= 180^\circ - \angle A_2A_3A_4 = 180^\circ - \angle A_2A_3P - \angle PA_3A_4 \\ &= 180^\circ - \angle A_2A_3P - \angle A_3A_2P = \angle A_2PA_3. \end{aligned}
Therefore, points A1,A2,H,PA_1, A_2, H, P are concyclic. In particular, A2HA3=A2A1P=HA3A4\angle A_2HA_3 = \angle A_2A_1P = \angle HA_3A_4, we have A2HA3A4A_2H \parallel A_3A_4. From this and the fact that A1,A2,H,PA_1, A_2, H, P are concyclic, we get
A3A4H=A2HA1=A1PA2. \angle A_3A_4H = \angle A_2HA_1 = \angle A_1PA_2.
Together with A2A1P=A4A3H\angle A_2A_1P = \angle A_4A_3H, we find that A1A2PA3HA4\triangle A_1A_2P \sim \triangle A_3HA_4. From this we obtain
A1A2A1P=A3HA3A4A1A2A3A4=A1PA3H. \frac{A_1A_2}{A_1P} = \frac{A_3H}{A_3A_4} \Rightarrow A_1A_2 \cdot A_3A_4 = A_1P \cdot A_3H.
Moreover, from A3HA2=A2A1P=A3A2P\angle A_3HA_2 = \angle A_2A_1P = \angle A_3A_2P, we have A3HA2A3A2P\triangle A_3HA_2 \sim \triangle A_3A_2P. We get
A2A3A3H=PA3A2A3(A2A3)2=PA3A3H. \frac{A_2A_3}{A_3H} = \frac{PA_3}{A_2A_3} \Rightarrow (A_2A_3)^2 = PA_3 \cdot A_3H.

Dividing the first equation by the second one yields
A1A2A3A4(A2A3)2=PA1PA3. \frac{A_1 A_2 \cdot A_3 A_4}{(A_2 A_3)^2} = \frac{P A_1}{P A_3}.
By doing the same procedure with adding 2 to each index and multiplying the resulting equations, we obtain
i=1nA2i1A2iA2i+1A2i+2(A2iA2i+1)2=i=1nPA2i1PA2i+1=1. \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{A_{2i-1}A_{2i} \cdot A_{2i+1}A_{2i+2}}{(A_{2i}A_{2i+1})^2} = \prod_{i=1}^{n} \frac{P A_{2i-1}}{P A_{2i+1}} = 1.
Here all indices are understood modulo 2n2n. Rearranging the above equation gives
i=1nA2i1A2i2=i=1nA2iA2i+12. \prod_{i=1}^{n} |A_{2i-1}A_{2i}|^2 = \prod_{i=1}^{n} |A_{2i}A_{2i+1}|^2.
This completes the proof of the problem. \Box

Solution 3

Let the circle in the problem be the unit circle in the complex plane, and let A1,,A2nA_1, \dots, A_{2n} correspond to complex numbers z1,,z2nz_1, \dots, z_{2n}. Without loss of generality (we can always rotate if necessary), let PP correspond to a non-negative real number a<1a < 1, and let PA1A2=πα(0,π)\angle PA_1A_2 = \pi - \alpha \in (0, \pi).
From the given conditions, we know that z2z1(z1a)eiαR\frac{z_2 - z_1}{(z_1 - a)e^{i\alpha}} \in \mathbb{R}, thus
z2z1(z1a)eiα=z2z1(z1a)eiα, \frac{z_2 - z_1}{(z_1 - a)e^{i\alpha}} = \frac{\overline{z_2} - \overline{z_1}}{(\overline{z_1} - a)e^{-i\alpha}},
Considering that z1,z2z_1, z_2 are unit complex numbers, and z1z2z_1 \neq z_2, we can solve to get z2=e2iα(z1a)az11z_2 = \frac{e^{2i\alpha}(z_1 - a)}{az_1 - 1}, and similarly zj+1=e2iα(zja)azj1z_{j+1} = \frac{e^{2i\alpha}(z_j - a)}{az_j - 1}, (j=1,2,,2nj = 1, 2, \dots, 2n, indices are understood modulo 2n2n). If a=0a = 0, then zj+1=e2iαzjz_{j+1} = -e^{2i\alpha}z_j, and in this case A1A2A2nA_1A_2\cdots A_{2n} forms a regular 2n2n-gon, and the conclusion is trivially true. Below we assume 0<a<10 < a < 1.
Now consider the Möbius transformation f(z)=e2iα(za)az1f(z) = \frac{e^{2i\alpha}(z-a)}{az-1}, which has two fixed points (roots of the quadratic equation ax2(1+e2iα)x+ae2iα=0ax^2 - (1+e^{2i\alpha})x + ae^{2i\alpha} = 0), denoted by x1x_1 and x2x_2. It can be easily verified that x1x2x_1 \neq x_2.
Let zjx1zjx2=wj\frac{z_j - x_1}{z_j - x_2} = w_j, from f(zj)=zj+1f(z_j) = z_{j+1}, we have that the ratios of consecutive terms among w1,w2,,w2n,w1w_1, w_2, \dots, w_{2n}, w_1 are constants. Thus,
zj=x1x2wj1wj=x2wjx1x2wj1, z_j = \frac{x_1 - x_2 w_j}{1 - w_j} = x_2 \cdot \frac{w_j - \frac{x_1}{x_2}}{w_j - 1},
hence
zj+1zj=x2(wj1)(wj+11)((wj+1x1x2)(wj1)(wjx1x2)(wj+11))=(x1x2)(wj+1wj)(wj1)(wj+11). \begin{aligned} z_{j+1} - z_j &= \frac{x_2}{(w_j - 1)(w_{j+1} - 1)} \left( \left( w_{j+1} - \frac{x_1}{x_2} \right) (w_j - 1) - \left( w_j - \frac{x_1}{x_2} \right) (w_{j+1} - 1) \right) \\ &= \frac{(x_1 - x_2)(w_{j+1} - w_j)}{(w_j - 1)(w_{j+1} - 1)}. \end{aligned}
Therefore,
j=1nz2j+1z2jz2jz2j1=j=1nw2j+1w2jw2jw2j1=j=1nw2jw2j1 \prod_{j=1}^{n} \frac{z_{2j+1} - z_{2j}}{z_{2j} - z_{2j-1}} = \prod_{j=1}^{n} \frac{w_{2j+1} - w_{2j}}{w_{2j} - w_{2j-1}} = \prod_{j=1}^{n} \frac{w_{2j}}{w_{2j-1}}

is a complex number of modulus 1 (in fact it can be shown that its value is 1-1), hence
the proposition holds. \square

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