In a triangle ABC, D is the foot of the altitude from A to BC, and M is the midpoint of the line segment BC. The three angles ∠BAD, ∠DAM and ∠MAC have equal measure. Find the measures of the angles of the triangle ABC.
Solution
Solution 1. Since ∠BAD=∠DAM and ∠ADB=∠ADM=90∘, the triangles ADB and ADM which share the side AD, are congruent. Therefore ∣BD∣=∣DM∣, and so 2∣MD∣=∣BM∣=∣MC∣. Since ∠DAM=∠MAC, AM bisects ∠DAC and we have cos(∠DAC)=ACAD=MCMD=21, and so ∠DAC=60∘. It follows that ∠ACD=30∘ and ∠DAM=30∘. Therefore, ∠BAC=90∘ and ∠ABC=60∘, i.e. the angles of the triangle ABC are 90∘, 60∘ and 30∘.
Let α=∠BAD=∠DAM=∠MAC and t=tan(α). Then, tan(2α)=1−t22t. Letting AD=h, we have t=x/h and tan(2α)=h3x=1−(hx)22(hx)=h2−x22xh Rearranging gives tan(α)=hx=31, and so α=30∘. This implies ∠DAC=2α=60∘, hence ∠ACD=30∘. Finally, ∠BAC=3α=90∘ which implies ∠ABC=60∘.
Solution 3. Let α=∠BAD=∠DAM=∠MAC, β=∠ABM and γ=∠BCA. Since ∠BAD=∠DAM and ∠ADB=∠ADM=90∘ we have ∠ABM=∠AMB, hence β=α+γ. Using ∣BM∣=∣MC∣ and the Sine Theorem twice we obtain sin(2α)sin(β)=∣BM∣∣AM∣=∣CM∣∣AM∣=sin(α)sin(γ) and so 2cos(α)=sin(α)sin(2α)=sin(γ)sin(β)=sin(γ)sin(α+γ). Using sin(α+γ)=sin(α)cos(γ)+cos(α)sin(γ) the above simplifies to 2cos(α)=sin(α)cot(γ)+cos(α), or equivalently cot(α)=cot(γ). As α and γ are both less than 180°, this implies α=γ. Therefore, β=α+γ=2α and from the right angled triangle ABD we see that α=30∘ and β=60∘, hence γ=30∘ and ∠BAC=3α=90∘.
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