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Geometry Difficulty 8.9 Shortlist Prove it United States

Let ABC\triangle ABC be a triangle and let ω\omega be its incircle. Denote by D1D_1 and E1E_1 the points where ω\omega is tangent to sides BCBC and ACAC, respectively. Denote by D2D_2 and E2E_2 the points on sides BCBC and ACAC, respectively, such that CD2=BD1CD_2 = BD_1 and CE2=AE1CE_2 = AE_1, and denote by PP the point of intersection of segments AD2AD_2 and BE2BE_2. Circle ω\omega intersects segment AD2AD_2 at two points, the closer of which to the vertex AA is denoted by QQ. Prove that AQ=D2PAQ = D_2P.

Solution

First Solution. The key observation is the following Lemma.
Lemma. *Segment* D1QD_1Q *is a diameter of circle* ω\omega.
*Proof.* Let II be the center of circle ω\omega, that is, II is the incenter of triangle ABCABC. Extend segment D1ID_1I through II to intersect circle ω\omega again at QQ', and extend segment AQAQ' through QQ' to intersect segment BCBC at DD'. We show that D2=DD_2 = D', which in turn implies that Q=QQ = Q', that is, D1QD_1Q is a diameter of ω\omega.
Figure 1
Let \ell be the line tangent to circle ω\omega at QQ', and let \ell intersect segments ABAB and ACAC at B1B_1 and C1C_1, respectively. Then ω\omega is an excircle of triangle AB1C1AB_1C_1. Let H1\mathbf{H}_1 denote the dilation with center AA and ratio AD/AQAD'/AQ'. Since D1Q\ell \perp D_1Q' and BCD1QBC \perp D_1Q, BC\ell \parallel BC. Hence, AB/AB1=AC/AC1=AD/AQAB/AB_1 = AC/AC_1 = AD'/AQ'. Thus, H1(Q)=D\mathbf{H}_1(Q') = D', H1(B1)=B\mathbf{H}_1(B_1) = B, and H1(C1)=C\mathbf{H}_1(C_1) = C. It also follows that the excircle Ω\Omega of triangle ABCABC opposite vertex AA is tangent to side BCBC at DD'.

It is well known that
CD1=12(BC+CAAB).(1) CD_1 = \frac{1}{2}(BC + CA - AB). \qquad (1)
We compute BDBD'. Let XX and YY denote the points of tangency of circle Ω\Omega with rays ABAB and ACAC, respectively. Then by equal tangents, AX=AYAX = AY, BD=BXBD' = BX, and DC=YCD'C = YC. Hence,
AX=AY=12(AX+AY)=12(AB+BX+YC+CA)=12(AB+BC+CA). \begin{align*} AX &= AY = \frac{1}{2}(AX + AY) \\ &= \frac{1}{2}(AB + BX + YC + CA) \\ &= \frac{1}{2}(AB + BC + CA). \end{align*}
It follows that
BD=BX=AXAB=12(BC+CAAB).(2) BD' = BX = AX - AB = \frac{1}{2}(BC + CA - AB). \qquad (2)
Combining (1) and (2) yields BD=CD1BD' = CD_1. Thus,
BD2=BD1D2D1=D2CD2D1=D1C=BD, BD_2 = BD_1 - D_2D_1 = D_2C - D_2D_1 = D_1C = BD',
that is, D=D2D' = D_2, as desired. ■

Now we prove our main result. Let M1M_1 and M2M_2 be the midpoints of segments BCBC and CACA, respectively. Then M1M_1 is also the midpoint of segment D1D2D_1D_2, from which it follows that IM1IM_1 is a midline of triangle D1QD2D_1QD_2. Hence,
QD2=2IM1(3) QD_2 = 2IM_1 \qquad (3)
and AD2M1IAD_2 \parallel M_1I. Similarly, we can prove that BE2M2IBE_2 \parallel M_2I.
Figure 2
Let GG be the centroid of triangle ABCABC. Thus, segments AM1AM_1 and BM2BM_2 intersect at GG. Define transformation H2\mathbf{H}_2 as the dilation with center GG and ratio 1/2-1/2. Then H2(A)=M1\mathbf{H}_2(A) = M_1 and H2(B)=M2\mathbf{H}_2(B) = M_2. Under the dilation, parallel lines go to parallel lines and the intersection of two lines goes to the intersection of their images. Since AD2M1IAD_2 \parallel M_1I and BE2M2IBE_2 \parallel M_2I, H\mathbf{H} maps lines AD2AD_2 and BE2BE_2 to lines M1IM_1I and M2IM_2I, respectively. It also follows that H2(P)=I\mathbf{H}_2(P) = I and that
IM1AP=GM1AG=12 \frac{IM_1}{AP} = \frac{GM_1}{AG} = \frac{1}{2}
or
AP=2IM1.(4) AP = 2IM_1. \qquad (4)
Combining (3) and (4) yields
AQ=APQP=2IM1QP=QD2QP=PD2, AQ = AP - QP = 2IM_1 - QP = QD_2 - QP = PD_2,
as desired.

Second Solution. From the Lemma, we have
AQAD2=rra, \frac{AQ}{AD_2} = \frac{r}{r_a},
where rr and rar_a are the radii of circles ω\omega and Ω\Omega, respectively. Note that
r(AB+BC+CA)=2[ABC] r(AB + BC + CA) = 2[ABC]
and that
ra(AB+ACBC)=2[IaAB]+2[IaAC]2[IaBC]=2[IaBAC]2[IaBC]=2[ABC], \begin{aligned} r_a(AB + AC - BC) &= 2[I_aAB] + 2[I_aAC] - 2[I_aBC] \\ &= 2[I_aBAC] - 2[I_aBC] = 2[ABC], \end{aligned}
where IaI_a is the center of Ω\Omega and [R][\mathcal{R}] is the area of region R\mathcal{R}. Thus,
AQAD2=AB+ACBCAB+BC+CA.(5) \frac{AQ}{AD_2} = \frac{AB + AC - BC}{AB + BC + CA}. \qquad (5)
Figure 3
Applying Menelaus's Theorem to triangle AD2CAD_2C and line BE2BE_2 gives
APPD2D2BBCCE2E2A=1, \frac{AP}{PD_2} \cdot \frac{D_2B}{BC} \cdot \frac{CE_2}{E_2A} = 1,
or
APPD2=BCE2AD2BCE2=BCCE1CD1AE1=BCAE1=2BCAB+ACBC. \frac{AP}{PD_2} = \frac{BC \cdot E_2A}{D_2B \cdot CE_2} = \frac{BC \cdot CE_1}{CD_1 \cdot AE_1} \\ = \frac{BC}{AE_1} = \frac{2BC}{AB + AC - BC}.
Hence,
AD2PD2=1+APPD2=AB+AC+BCAB+ACBC, \frac{AD_2}{PD_2} = 1 + \frac{AP}{PD_2} = \frac{AB + AC + BC}{AB + AC - BC},
or
PD2AD2=AB+ACBCAB+AC+BC.(6) \frac{PD_2}{AD_2} = \frac{AB + AC - BC}{AB + AC + BC}. \qquad (6)
The desired result now follows from (5) and (6).

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