Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it Germany

Problem:

Let ABCDABCD be a convex parallelogram that is acute-angled at AA. The reflections of AA across the lines BCBC and CDCD are denoted by PP and QQ, respectively. Moreover, the line BDBD intersects the segments AP\overline{AP} and AQ\overline{AQ} in their interior at the points RR and SS, respectively.

Prove that the circumcircles of the triangles BRPBRP and DQSDQS are tangent to each other.

Solution

Solution:

We consider the reflection ZZ of AA under reflection across BDBD. We will prove that the two circles mentioned in the problem statement are tangent to each other at ZZ.

Figure 1

First, because of BZR=RAB=BPR\measuredangle BZR = \measuredangle RAB = \measuredangle BPR and the converse of the inscribed angle theorem, it is clear that ZZ lies on the circumcircle ω1\omega_1 of BRPBRP. Analogously, one shows that ZZ also lies on the circumcircle ω2\omega_2 of DQSDQS. The tangent-chord angle of the chord ZBZB of ω1\omega_1 is ZRB=BRA\angle ZRB = \measuredangle BRA. Since ARAR is perpendicular to BCBC and hence also to ADAD, this angle has the size 90ADB90^\circ - \angle ADB. Analogously, one shows that the tangent-chord angle of the chord ZDZD of ω2\omega_2 equals 90DBA90^\circ - \angle DBA. The sum of these two angles is now 180ADBDBA=BAD=DZB180^\circ - \measuredangle ADB - \angle DBA = \angle BAD = \angle DZB, which shows that the tangents to ω1\omega_1 and ω2\omega_2 at the point ZZ coincide. Thus the two circles are indeed tangent to each other.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement translated into English from de; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.