Let B, C be two fixed points on the fixed circle (O) (BC is not the diameter of (O)). Point A moves on (O) such that AB>BC and M is the midpoint of AC. The circle of diameter BM intersects (O) at R. Suppose that RM intersects (O) at the second point Q and cuts BC at P. The circle of diameter BP intersects AB, BO at the second points K, S respectively.
1. Prove that SR passes through the midpoint of KP.
2. Denote N as the midpoint of BC. The radical axis of two circles of diameter AN, BM intersects SR at E. Prove that ME always passes through a certain fixed point when A moves on (O).
Solution
1) It is easy to check that BQ is the diameter of circle (O). Denote I as the intersection of SR and PK. We have ∠SPI=∠SBK=∠QCA and ∠PSI=∠PBR=∠CQR. This implies that two triangles PSI and CQM are similar. By the same way, we also have two triangles KSI and AQM are similar. But M is the midpoint of the segment AC then I is the midpoint of PK.
2) Redefine point E as the projection of C to AB. Denote H as the intersection of the altitudes AD, BL of triangle ABC. Note that the quadrilateral LMND is cyclic then CM⋅CL=CN⋅CD and HA⋅HD=HB⋅HL, which implies that CH is the radical axis of two circles of diameter AN and BM. We have E belongs to CH then it also belongs to the radical axis of two circles of diameter AN and BM. Since ∠BEH=∠BRP=90∘ then the quadrilateral BHER is cyclic, thus ∠HRE=∠EBH=∠OBC=∠PBS=∠PRS which implies that S, R, E are collinear. Then E is the intersection of SR and the radical axis of two circles of diameter AN, BM. Denote X as the intersection of EM and BQ. Let T be the midpoint of segment BC then the quadrilateral ETML is cyclic. Thus ∠MEC=90∘−∠MET=90∘−∠ALT=90∘−∠BAC=∠BAL=∠BCQ. This means that the quadrilateral BCXE is cyclic, and then ∠BXC=BEC=90∘. Therefore, X is the projection of C onto BQ, which is a fixed point and the line EM passes through X.
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