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Geometry Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it Bulgaria

Let A0B0C0A_0B_0C_0 be a triangle. For a positive integer n1n \ge 1, we define AnA_n on the segment Bn1Cn1B_{n-1}C_{n-1} such that Bn1An:Cn1An=2:1B_{n-1}A_n : C_{n-1}A_n = 2 : 1 and Bn,CnB_n, C_n are defined cyclically in a similar manner. Show that there exists an unique point PP that lies in the interior of all triangles AnBnCnA_nB_nC_n.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

(Dragomir Grozev) We have nested compact sets (closed triangles), so they have non empty intersection. We prove that they intersect in only one point. It's enough to prove that the three points An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n converge to a common point PP. Assume it's false. Then there exists some subsequences of An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n (which for simplicity we denote again by An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n) that converge to points A,B,CA, B, C respectively and {A,B,C}\{A, B, C\} consists of at least 2 elements. Assume, first A,B,CA, B, C are distinct. Assume wlog that BAC60\angle BAC \le 60^\circ. Take nn large enough such that An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n are close enough to A,B,CA, B, C respectively. Consider the next triangle An+1Bn+1Cn+1A_{n+1}B_{n+1}C_{n+1}. Its side Bn+1Cn+1B_{n+1}C_{n+1} is far enough from AA and so AA is outside An+1Bn+1Cn+1\triangle A_{n+1}B_{n+1}C_{n+1}. But AA was a limit point of the sequence An,n=1,2,A_n, n = 1, 2, \dots, contradiction. Suppose now, B=CAB = C \ne A. Then BnAnCn<60\angle B_nA_nC_n < 60^\circ (it tends to 0 actually) and we apply the same argument. We proved that there is a unique point PP that's common for all the triangles.

Now it remains to prove a small trifle - namely PP is in the interior of all the triangles. It was part of the Bulgarian text. Assume on the contrary PP is on some side, say AnBnA_nB_n, for some nn. But it easily follows that PP is outside An+2Bn+2Cn+2\triangle A_{n+2}B_{n+2}C_{n+2} contradiction. \square

Solution 2

We have nested compact sets (closed triangles), so they have non empty intersection. We prove that they intersect in only one point. It's enough to prove that the three points An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n converge to a common point PP. Assume it's false. Then there exists some subsequences of An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n (which for simplicity we denote again by An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n) that converge to points A,B,CA, B, C respectively and {A,B,C}\{A, B, C\} consists of at least 2 elements. Assume, first A,B,CA, B, C are distinct. Assume wlog that BAC60\angle BAC \le 60^\circ. Take nn large enough such that An,Bn,CnA_n, B_n, C_n are close enough to A,B,CA, B, C respectively. Consider the next triangle An+1Bn+1Cn+1A_{n+1}B_{n+1}C_{n+1}. Its side Bn+1Cn+1B_{n+1}C_{n+1} is far enough from AA and so AA is outside An+1Bn+1Cn+1\triangle A_{n+1}B_{n+1}C_{n+1}. But AA was a limit point of the sequence An,n=1,2,A_n, n = 1, 2, \dots, contradiction. Suppose now, B=CAB = C \ne A. Then BnAnCn<60\angle B_nA_nC_n < 60^\circ (it tends to 0 actually) and we apply the same argument. We proved that there is a unique point PP that's common for all the triangles.

Now it remains to prove a small trifle - namely PP is in the interior of all the triangles. It was part of the Bulgarian text. Assume on the contrary PP is on some side, say AnBnA_nB_n, for some nn. But it easily follows that PP is outside An+2Bn+2Cn+2\triangle A_{n+2}B_{n+2}C_{n+2} contradiction. \square

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