Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 7.7 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it Romania

Two circles in the plane, γ1\gamma_1 and γ2\gamma_2, meet at points MM and NN. Let AA be a point on γ1\gamma_1, and let DD be a point on γ2\gamma_2. The lines AMAM and ANAN meet again γ2\gamma_2 at points BB and CC, respectively, and the lines DMDM and DNDN meet again γ1\gamma_1 at points EE and FF, respectively. Assume the order M,N,F,A,EM, N, F, A, E is circular around γ1\gamma_1, and the segments ABAB and DEDE are congruent. Prove that the points A,F,CA, F, C and DD lie on

a circle whose center does not depend on the position of the points A and D on the respective circles, subject to the assumptions above.

Solution

Since AB=DEAB = DE, the triangles NABNAB and NEDNED are congruent, so NA=NENA = NE and NB=NDNB = ND. Let KK and LL be the antipodes of NN in γ1\gamma_1 and γ2\gamma_2, respectively, and notice that they are the midpoints of the arcs AEAE and BDBD, respectively. Notice further that the angles KMEKME and LMDLMD have equal measures, to deduce that the four arcs KA,KE,LBKA, KE, LB and LDLD all have the same measure. The arcs EMN,AFNEMN, AFN and BMNBMN have equal measures as well. Consequently, the inscribed angles AFNAFN and DCNDCN subtend arcs of equal measures on the respective circles, so they are congruent; that is, the points A,F,C,DA, F, C, D are co-cyclic.

We now show that the center of the circle through A,F,C,DA, F, C, D is the midpoint OO of the segment KLKL. To this end, we show that OO lies on the perpendicular bisector of any segment X1X2X_1X_2 through NN, where X1X_1 is on γ1\gamma_1 and X2X_2 is on γ2\gamma_2; in particular, OO lies on the perpendicular bisectors of both segments ACAC and DFDF, whence the conclusion.

Let O1O_1 and O2O_2 be the centers of the circles γ1\gamma_1 and γ2\gamma_2, respectively, and notice that OO1NO2OO_1NO_2 is a parallelogram to deduce that the segments NONO and O1O2O_1O_2 cross each other at their common midpoint PP. Let further X,X1X, X'_1 and X2X'_2 be the midpoints of the segments X1X2,NX1X_1X_2, NX_1 and NX2NX_2, respectively, and notice that the segments NXNX and X1X2X'_1X'_2 have the same midpoint XX', to infer that OXOX is parallel to PXPX'. Since the latter is perpendicular to X1X2X'_1X'_2, it follows that OXOX is perpendicular to X1X2X_1X_2, so OXOX is indeed the perpendicular bisector of the segment X1X2X_1X_2.

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