Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /3 of 14

Geometry Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Czech Republic

Let MM be the midpoint of the side ABAB of a triangle ABCABC. Prove that the equality ABC+ACM=90|\angle ABC| + |\angle ACM| = 90^\circ holds if and only if the triangle ABCABC is isosceles or right-angled, with ABAB as a base or a hypotenuse, respectively. (Pavel Novotný)

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Assume first that ABC+ACM=90|\angle ABC| + |\angle ACM| = 90^\circ. Using the notation ϕ=ACM\phi = |\angle ACM| and ψ=BCM\psi = |\angle BCM| (Fig. 1), we conclude from our assumption that ABC=90ϕ|\angle ABC| = 90^\circ - \phi, and hence BAC=90ψ|\angle BAC| = 90^\circ - \psi as well, because of an easy angle computation in ABC\triangle ABC:
BAC=180ABCACB=180(90ϕ)(ϕ+ψ)=90ψ. \begin{aligned} |\angle BAC| &= 180^\circ - |\angle ABC| - |\angle ACB| \\ &= 180^\circ - (90^\circ - \phi) - (\phi + \psi) = 90^\circ - \psi. \end{aligned}
Figure 1
Fig. 1

Applying Law of Sines to ACM\triangle ACM and BCM\triangle BCM, we get
sin(90ψ)sinϕ=CMAM=CMBM=sin(90ϕ)sinψ. \frac{\sin(90^\circ - \psi)}{\sin \phi} = \frac{|CM|}{|AM|} = \frac{|CM|}{|BM|} = \frac{\sin(90^\circ - \phi)}{\sin \psi}.
Comparing the two ratios of sines and using the formula sin(90ω)=cosω\sin(90^\circ - \omega) = \cos \omega, we obtain an equality sinϕcosϕ=sinψcosψ\sin \phi \cos \phi = \sin \psi \cos \psi or sin2ϕ=sin2ψ\sin 2\phi = \sin 2\psi. Since the angles ϕ\phi and ψ\psi are acute, both 2ϕ2\phi and 2ψ2\psi are between 00^\circ and 180180^\circ. Thus by a well known sine property, the equality sin2ϕ=sin2ψ\sin 2\phi = \sin 2\psi means that either 2ϕ=2ψ2\phi = 2\psi or 2ϕ+2ψ=1802\phi + 2\psi = 180^\circ. In the first case (when ϕ=ψ\phi = \psi), the interior angle of ABC\triangle ABC at the vertices AA and BB are equal, in the second case (when ϕ+ψ=90\phi + \psi = 90^\circ) the interior angle at the vertex CC is right. This completes the proof of one of the two implications stated in the problem.

Figure 1
Fig. 1

To prove the second (converse) implication, let us assume that (i) AC=BC|AC| = |BC| or (ii) ACB=90|\angle ACB| = 90^\circ.

Case (i). It follows from AC=BC|AC| = |BC| that the triangles ACMACM and BCMBCM are congruent (by SSS theorem), with right interior angles at the vertex MM. Consequently,

Applying Law of Sines to ACM\triangle ACM and BCM\triangle BCM, we get
sin(90ψ)sinϕ=CMAM=CMBM=sin(90ϕ)sinψ. \frac{\sin(90^\circ - \psi)}{\sin \phi} = \frac{|CM|}{|AM|} = \frac{|CM|}{|BM|} = \frac{\sin(90^\circ - \phi)}{\sin \psi}.
The converse implication is proven.

Solution 2

Let kk be the circumcircle of the given triangle ABCABC. Its median CMCM can be extended to the chord CCCC' of the circle kk (Fig. 2). Since the inscribed angles ABCABC' and ACCACC' (or ACMACM) are congruent, the considered sum of angles ABCABC and ACMACM is equal to the angle CBCCBC'. By Thales' theorem the last angle CBCCBC' is right if and only if the chord CCCC' is a diameter of the circle kk. This happens if and only if the centre SS of kk lies on the ray CMCM. For such a situation, we distinguish two cases: S=MS = M and SMS \neq M. Note that S=MS = M holds if and only if the angle ACBACB is right (by Thales' theorem again). Thus let us analyse the second case SMS \neq M: The three distinct points C,MC, M and SS are obviously collinear if and only if the line MSMS, a perpendicular bisector of a segment ABAB, passes through the point CC. However, the last condition is equivalent to the desired equality AC=BC|AC| = |BC|. This completes the proof (common for the both composing implications).

Figure 2
Fig. 2

*Remark.* Instead of the chord CCCC' of the circumcircle kk, it is possible to consider the tangent line tt to the circle kk at its point CC (Fig. 3). Since the inscribed angle ABCABC is always congruent to the marked angle between ACAC and tt, the sum of the angles ABCABC and ACMACM equals 9090^\circ if and only if the tangent tt is perpendicular to the ray CMCM. The last is equivalent to the condition from the above solution, namely that the ray CMCM passes through the centre SS of kk.

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.