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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. DEFCBK\triangle DEF \sim \triangle CBK (with opposite orientation).

Proof. Using directed angles mod 180180^\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 DEFCBK\triangle DEF \sim \triangle CBK. \Box

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