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Geometry Difficulty 8.7 Shortlist Prove it Germany

Two circles Γ\Gamma and Γ\Gamma' intersect at the two distinct points AA and BB. A line through BB intersects Γ\Gamma and Γ\Gamma' in CC and DD respectively, such that BB lies between CC and DD. A further line through BB intersects Γ\Gamma and Γ\Gamma' in EE and FF respectively, such that EE lies between BB and FF. Suppose that CD=EF|CD| = |EF| holds. The interior of the segment CFCF meets Γ\Gamma and Γ\Gamma' in PP and QQ respectively. Furthermore, let MM and NN be the midpoints of the arcs PBPB and BQBQ of Γ\Gamma and Γ\Gamma' not containing CC and FF respectively. Prove that CNMFCNMF is a cyclic quadrilateral.

Solution

Solution:

(1) The triangles ACDA C D and AEFA E F are directly congruent: We work with directed angles modulo π\pi. We have A D C = A D B = A F B = A F E\text{A D C = A D B = A F B = A F E} and D C A = B C A = B E A = F E A\text{D C A = B C A = B E A = F E A} (for the middle equality sign the inscribed angle theorem was used in both cases). Since, moreover, CD=EF|C D| = |E F| holds by assumption, the claim follows by the ASA congruence theorem.

(2) AA lies on the same side of the line CDC D as FF: The overlap region of the two circles contains the segment BEB E and meets the line CDC D only at the point BB.

(3) The triangles CDQC D Q and EFPE F P are directly congruent: As in (1), Q D C = Q D B = Q F B = P F B\text{Q D C = Q D B = Q F B = P F B} etc.

(4) There exists a rotation about AA that maps the points C,D,QC, D, Q to the points E,F,PE, F, P: this follows from (1) and (3).

(5) AA lies on the same side of the line BFB F as CC: From (2) it follows that AA and QQ lie on the same side of the line CDC D, and together with (4) it follows that AA and PP lie on the same side of the line EF=BFE F = B F, hence also AA and CC.

(6) BAB A is the bisector of the interior angle of the triangle BFCB F C at BB: By (1) the distances from AA to the extended sides are equal, and by (2) and (5) it is an internal bisector.

(7) CMC M is the bisector of the interior angle of the triangle BFCB F C at CC: This follows from the inscribed angle theorem.

(8) Analogously, FNF N is the bisector of the interior angle of the triangle BFCB F C at FF. Let II be the incenter of the triangle BFCB F C.

(9) MM lies on the arc BAB A of Γ\Gamma not containing CC: From (2) and (5) it follows that the points on Γ\Gamma have the cyclic order B,E,A,CB, E, A, C resp. B,P,CB, P, C (equally oriented). The directed arcs EAE A and ACA C are equal by (4), so 12BC<BA\frac{1}{2} B C < B A and hence BM=12BP<12BC<BAB M = \frac{1}{2} B P < \frac{1}{2} B C < B A.

(10) NN lies on the arc ABA B of Γ\Gamma' not containing FF: analogous to (9).

(11) II is an interior point of CMC M and FNF N: II lies on the line ABA B, hence the claim follows from (9) resp. (10).

(12) II is an interior point of BAB A: follows from (9) or (10).

(13) We have CIIM=FIIN|C I| \cdot |I M| = |F I| \cdot |I N|: By the power of a point (chord theorem) in Γ\Gamma, CIIM=BIIA|C I| \cdot |I M| = |B I| \cdot |I A|, and by the power of a point (chord theorem) in Γ\Gamma', BIIA=FIIN|B I| \cdot |I A| = |F I| \cdot |I N|.

(14) By the converse of the power of a point (chord theorem), it follows with (11) and (13) that CNMFCNMF is a cyclic quadrilateral.

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