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Geometry Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it IMO

The vertices XX, YY, ZZ of an equilateral triangle XYZXYZ lie respectively on the sides BCBC, CACA, ABAB of an acute-angled triangle ABCABC. Prove that the incenter of triangle ABCABC lies inside triangle XYZXYZ.

The vertices XX, YY, ZZ of an equilateral triangle XYZXYZ lie respectively on the sides BCBC, CACA, ABAB of a triangle ABCABC. Prove that if the incenter of triangle ABCABC lies outside triangle XYZXYZ, then one of the angles of triangle ABCABC is greater than 120120^{\circ}.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

We will prove a stronger fact; namely, we will show that the incenter II of triangle ABCABC lies inside the incircle of triangle XYZXYZ (and hence surely inside triangle XYZXYZ itself). We denote by d(U,VW)d(U, VW) the distance between point UU and line VWVW.

Denote by OO the incenter of XYZ\triangle XYZ and by rr, rr', and RR' the inradii of triangles ABCABC, XYZXYZ and the circumradius of XYZXYZ, respectively. Then we have R=2rR' = 2r', and the desired inequality is OIrOI \leq r'. We assume that OIO \neq I; otherwise the claim is trivial.

Let the incircle of ABC\triangle ABC touch its sides BCBC, ACAC, ABAB at points A1A_1, B1B_1, C1C_1 respectively. The lines IA1IA_1, IB1IB_1, IC1IC_1 cut the plane into 6 acute angles, each one containing one of the points A1A_1, B1B_1, C1C_1 on its border. We may assume that OO lies in an angle defined by lines IA1IA_1, IC1IC_1 and containing point C1C_1 (see Fig. 1). Let AA' and CC' be the projections of OO onto lines IA1IA_1 and IC1IC_1, respectively.

Since OX=ROX = R', we have d(O,BC)Rd(O, BC) \leq R'. Since OABCOA' \parallel BC, it follows that d(A,BC)=AI+rRd(A', BC) = A'I + r \leq R', or AIRrA'I \leq R' - r. On the other hand, the incircle of XYZ\triangle XYZ lies inside ABC\triangle ABC, hence d(O,AB)rd(O, AB) \geq r', and analogously we get d(O,AB)=CC1=rICrd(O, AB) = C'C_1 = r - IC' \geq r', or ICrrIC' \leq r - r'.

Figure 1
Fig. 1
Figure 2
Fig. 2

Finally, the quadrilateral IAOCIA'O C' is circumscribed due to the right angles at AA' and CC' (see Fig. 2). On its circumcircle, we have AOC^=2AIC<180=OCI^\widehat{A'O C'} = 2 \angle A'I C' < 180^{\circ} = \widehat{O C'I}, hence 180IC~>AO~180^{\circ} \geq \widetilde{IC'} > \widetilde{A'O}. This means that IC>AOIC' > A'O. Finally, we have OIIA+AOIA+IC(Rr)+(rr)=Rr=rOI \leq IA' + A'O \leq IA' + IC' \leq (R' - r) + (r - r') = R' - r' = r', as desired.

Solution 2

Assume the contrary. Then the incenter II should lie in one of triangles AYZAYZ, BXZBXZ, CXYCXY - assume that it lies in AYZ\triangle AYZ. Let the incircle ω\omega of ABC\triangle ABC touch sides BCBC, ACAC at point A1A_1, B1B_1 respectively. Without loss of generality, assume that point A1A_1 lies on segment CXCX. In this case we will show that C>90\angle C > 90^{\circ} thus leading to a contradiction.

Note that ω\omega intersects each of the segments XYXY and YZYZ at two points; let UU, UU', and VV, VV' be the points of intersection of ω\omega with XYXY and YZYZ, respectively (UY>UYUY > U'Y, VY>VYVY > V'Y; see Figs. 3 and 4). Note that 60=XYZ=12(UV^UV^)12UV^60^{\circ} = \angle XYZ = \frac{1}{2}(\widehat{UV} - \widehat{U'V'}) \leq \frac{1}{2} \widehat{UV}, hence UV^120\widehat{UV} \geq 120^{\circ}.

On the other hand, since II lies in AYZ\triangle AYZ, we get UU^<180\widehat{UU'} < 180^{\circ}, hence UA1U^UA1V^<180UV^60\widehat{UA_1U'} \leq \widehat{UA_1V'} < 180^{\circ} - \widehat{UV} \leq 60^{\circ}.

Now, two cases are possible due to the order of points YY, B1B_1 on segment ACAC.

Figure 3
Fig. 3
Figure 4
Fig. 4

Case 1. Let point YY lie on the segment AB1AB_1 (see Fig. 3). Then we have YXC=12(A1U^A1U^)12A1U^<30\angle YXC = \frac{1}{2}(\widehat{A_1U'} - \widehat{A_1U}) \leq \frac{1}{2} \widehat{A_1U'} < 30^{\circ}; analogously, we get XYC12A1U^<30\angle XYC \leq \frac{1}{2} \widehat{A_1U'} < 30^{\circ}. Therefore, YCX=180YXCXYC>120\angle YCX = 180^{\circ} - \angle YXC - \angle XYC > 120^{\circ}, as desired.

Case 2. Now let point YY lie on the segment CB1CB_1 (see Fig. 4). Analogously, we obtain YXC<30\angle YXC < 30^{\circ}. Next, IYX>ZYX=60\angle IYX > \angle ZYX = 60^{\circ}, but IYX<IYB1\angle IYX < \angle IYB_1, since YB1YB_1 is a tangent and YXYX is a secant line to circle ω\omega from point YY. Hence, we get 120<IYB1+IYX=B1YX=YXC+YCX<30+YCX120^{\circ} < \angle IYB_1 + \angle IYX = \angle B_1YX = \angle YXC + \angle YCX < 30^{\circ} + \angle YCX, hence YCX>12030=90\angle YCX > 120^{\circ} - 30^{\circ} = 90^{\circ}, as desired.

Solution 3

Assume the contrary. As in Solution 2, we assume that the incenter II of ABC\triangle ABC lies in AYZ\triangle AYZ, and the tangency point A1A_1 of ω\omega and BCBC lies on segment CXCX. Surely, YZA180YZX=120\angle YZA \leq 180^{\circ} - \angle YZX = 120^{\circ}, hence points II and YY lie on one side of the perpendicular bisector to XYXY; therefore IX>IYIX > IY. Moreover, ω\omega intersects segment XYXY at two points, and therefore the projection MM of II onto XYXY lies on the segment XYXY. In this case, we will prove that C>120\angle C > 120^{\circ}.

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