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Ukrainian National Mathematical Olympiad

Geometry Difficulty 7.0 National Olympiad Prove it Ukraine

In triangle ABCABC, by TA,TB,TCT_A, T_B, T_C are denoted tangency points of excircles of △ABC\triangle ABC tangent to sides BC,ACBC, AC and ABAB, respectively. Let OO be the center of circumscribed circle of △ABC\triangle ABC, and II be the center of its inscribed circle. It is known that OI∥ACOI \parallel AC. Prove that ∠TATBTC=90∘−12∠ABC\angle T_A T_B T_C = 90^\circ - \frac{1}{2} \angle ABC.

Figure 1

Fig.29

Solution

Let IA,IB,ICI_A, I_B, I_C be the centers of excircles, I1I_1 be the point, symmetrical to II with respect to point OO (fig. 29). Let us look at ΔIAIBIC\Delta I_A I_B I_C. II is its orthocenter, since bisectors of outer and inner angles are perpendicular. It is also clear that OO is the center of Euler's circle of this triangle. Then, point I1I_1 is the center point of circumscribed circle of ΔIAIBIC\Delta I_A I_B I_C. Then,

∠I1IBC=∠ICIBB\angle I_1 I_B C = \angle I_C I_B B, which yields I1IB⊥ACI_1 I_B \perp AC, since ∠BICA=90∘−12∠BCA=∠ACIB\angle B I_C A = 90^\circ - \frac{1}{2} \angle BCA = \angle AC I_B.

Hence, lines IBTBI_B T_B, IATAI_A T_A and ICTCI_C T_C intersect at point I1I_1.

Clearly, AII1CAII_1C is a trapezoid. Points I,I1I, I_1 are symmetrical with respect to the median perpendicular of ACAC, since II1∥ACII_1 \parallel AC. Then, AII1CAII_1C is an isosceles trapezoid, and ∠AI1C=∠AIC=90∘+12∠ABC\angle A I_1 C = \angle A I C = 90^\circ + \frac{1}{2} \angle ABC. Let us also note that quadrilaterals I1TCATBI_1 T_C A T_B and I1TACTBI_1 T_A C T_B are inscribed. Then,

∠TATBTC=∠TCTBI1+∠I1TBTA=∠I1AB+∠I1CB=∠AI1AC−∠ABC=90∘−∠ABC2. \angle T_A T_B T_C = \angle T_C T_B I_1 + \angle I_1 T_B T_A = \angle I_1 A B + \angle I_1 C B = \angle A I_1 AC - \angle ABC = 90^\circ - \frac{\angle ABC}{2}.

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