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Geometry Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Prove it Belarus

Let ΓB\Gamma_B and ΓC\Gamma_C be excircles of an acute-angled triangle ABCABC opposite to its vertices BB and CC, respectively. Let C1C_1 and LL be the tangent points of ΓC\Gamma_C and the side ABAB and the line BCBC respectively. Let B1B_1 and MM be the tangent points of ΓB\Gamma_B and the side ACAC and the line BCBC, respectively. Let XX be the point of intersection of the lines LC1LC_1 and MB1MB_1.
Prove that AXAX is equal to the inradius of the triangle ABCABC.

Solution

Let BAC=α\angle BAC = \alpha, CBA=β\angle CBA = \beta, ACB=γ\angle ACB = \gamma. Let AHAH be the altitude of the triangle ABCABC and XX' be the point of intersection of AHAH and the line MB1MB_1. Then XAB1=90γ\angle X'AB_1 = 90^\circ - \gamma. Since γ=ACB=CB1M+B1MC\gamma = \angle ACB = \angle CB_1M + \angle B_1MC and CB1=CMCB_1 = CM we have CB1M=B1MC=γ/2\angle CB_1M = \angle B_1MC = \gamma/2.

Figure 1

Calculate the value of the angle B1XA\angle B_1X'A:
B1XA=180XAB1XB1A=[XB1A=CB1M]==180(90γ)12γ=90+12γ. \begin{align*} \angle B_1X'A &= 180^\circ - \angle X'AB_1 - \angle X'B_1A = [\angle X'B_1A = \angle CB_1M] = \\ &= 180^\circ - (90^\circ - \gamma) - \frac{1}{2}\gamma = 90^\circ + \frac{1}{2}\gamma. \end{align*}
By the law of sines for B1XA\triangle B_1X'A we obtain
AXsinγ2=AB1sin(90+γ/2)=AB1cosγ2, \frac{AX'}{\sin \frac{\gamma}{2}} = \frac{AB_1}{\sin (90^\circ + \gamma/2)} = \frac{AB_1}{\cos \frac{\gamma}{2}},
i.e. AX=AB1tanγ2AX' = AB_1 \tan \frac{\gamma}{2}. Let II be the center of the incircle Γ\Gamma of the triangle ABCABC and Γ\Gamma touch the side BCBC at A1A_1. Let IA1=rIA_1 = r. Since A1ICA_1IC is a right-angled triangle we have IA1=CA1tanγ2IA_1 = CA_1 \tan \frac{\gamma}{2}. It is well-known fact that CA1=(AC+CBAB)/2=AB1CA_1 = (AC + CB - AB)/2 = AB_1. Therefore, AX=IA1=rAX' = IA_1 = r.
Similarly, if XX'' is the point of intersection of AHAH and the line LC1LC_1, we show that AX=rAX'' = r which gives the required statement.

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