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Baltic Way Shortlist, 2023

Geometry Difficulty 8.7 Shortlist Prove it Baltic Way

Let △ABC\triangle ABC be an acute triangle and PP be an inner point of △ABC\triangle ABC. Let KK, LL and MM be the reflections of PP across BCBC, ACAC and ABAB, respectively. Let DD and EE be the second points of intersection of ⊙(PBC)\odot(PBC) with lines ABAB and ACAC, respectively. Let lines MDMD and LELE intersect at FF. Prove that FF, AA and KK are collinear.

Solutions — 3

Solution 1

∠BGF=∠BGK=∠BCK=∠PCB=∠PDB=∠BDM=∠BDF. \angle BGF = \angle BGK = \angle BCK = \angle PCB = \angle PDB = \angle BDM = \angle BDF.
Similarly, GFCEGFCE is cyclic.

Lastly, notice that AA is the radical centre of circumcircles of GFBDGFBD, GFCEGFCE and BDCEBDCE. Thus, FF, AA and KK are collinear.

Solution 2

Construct point II as the second point of intersection of MDMD with the circumcircle of △BPC\triangle BPC. Then IKPMIKPM is cyclic with BB being its circumcentre (using directed angles):
∠BIM=∠BID=∠BPD=∠DMB=∠IMB  ⟹  ∣BM∣=∣BP∣=∣BK∣=∣BI∣. \begin{gather*} \angle BIM = \angle BID = \angle BPD = \angle DMB = \angle IMB \\ \implies |BM| = |BP| = |BK| = |BI|. \end{gather*}
We now show that CC, KK and II are collinear. ∠KCB=∠BCP\angle KCB = \angle BCP by reflection and ∠BCP=∠ICB\angle BCP = \angle ICB, since they subtend equal chords BIBI and BPBP. Thus, ∠KCB=∠ICB\angle KCB = \angle ICB and thus CC, KK and II are collinear.

Thus, KK, FF and AA are collinear.

Solution 3

Let Fˉ\bar{F} denote the isogonal conjugate of FF with respect to △ADE\triangle ADE.

Claim. △DEF∼△CBK\triangle DEF \sim \triangle CBK (with opposite orientation).

Proof. Using directed angles mod 180∘180^\circ, we have
∠FˉDE=∠ADF=∠ADM=∠PDA=∠PDB=∠PCB=∠BCK, \angle \bar{F}DE = \angle ADF = \angle ADM = \angle PDA = \angle PDB = \angle PCB = \angle BCK,
where we used that BCPDBCPD is cyclic. Similarly, ∠DEF=∠KBC\angle DEF = \angle KBC. Hence △DEF∼△CBK\triangle DEF \sim \triangle CBK. □\Box

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