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Geometry Difficulty 7.1 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Philippines

Problem:

Circles C1\mathcal{C}_1 and C2\mathcal{C}_2 with centers at C1C_1 and C2C_2, respectively, intersect at two distinct points AA and BB. Points PP and QQ are varying points on C1\mathcal{C}_1 and C2\mathcal{C}_2, respectively, such that P,QP, Q and BB are collinear and BB is always between PP and QQ. Let lines PC1P C_1 and QC2Q C_2 intersect at RR, let II be the incenter of PQR\triangle P Q R, and let SS be the circumcenter of PIQ\triangle P I Q. Show that as PP and QQ vary, SS traces an arc of a circle whose center is concyclic with A,C1A, C_1 and C2C_2.

Solution

Solution:

Let CC be the intersection of the circle through C1,C2C_1, C_2 and AA, and the bisector of C1AC2\angle C_1 A C_2. It suffices to show that CS=CAC S = C A. Let C1AC2=C1BC2=2α\angle C_1 A C_2 = C_1 B C_2 = 2 \alpha (fixed), C1PB=C1BP=2β\angle C_1 P B = \angle C_1 B P = 2 \beta and C2QB=C2BQ=2γ\angle C_2 Q B = \angle C_2 B Q = 2 \gamma. Since
C1RC2=180C1PBC2QB=180C1BPC2BQ=C1BC2=2α \begin{aligned} \angle C_1 R C_2 & = 180^\circ - \angle C_1 P B - \angle C_2 Q B = 180^\circ - \angle C_1 B P - \angle C_2 B Q \\ & = \angle C_1 B C_2 = 2 \alpha \end{aligned}
then RR is concyclic with A,C1,C2A, C_1, C_2 and CC. Also, since RIR I bisects C1RC2\angle C_1 R C_2, then C1RI=α=C1RC\angle C_1 R I = \alpha = \angle C_1 R C, so CC is collinear with RR and II. We note too that by considering the angles of PQR\triangle P Q R, α+β+γ=90\alpha + \beta + \gamma = 90^\circ.

Let the perpendicular bisectors of PIP I and QIQ I meet PQP Q at MM and NN, respectively. Since SP=SI=SQS P = S I = S Q, then SIM=SPM=SQN=SIN\angle S I M = \angle S P M = \angle S Q N = \angle S I N and so SIS I bisects MIN\angle M I N, where
MIN=180(MIP+MPI)(NIQ+NQI)=1802β2γ=2α. \begin{aligned} \angle M I N & = 180^\circ - (\angle M I P + \angle M P I) - (\angle N I Q + \angle N Q I) \\ & = 180^\circ - 2 \beta - 2 \gamma = 2 \alpha . \end{aligned}
Figure 1
Thus, α=SIM=SIN\alpha = \angle S I M = \angle S I N. Consequently, SS is collinear with R,IR, I and CC since PIS=PIM+SIM=β+α=IPR+IRP=180RIP\angle P I S = \angle P I M + \angle S I M = \beta + \alpha = \angle I P R + \angle I R P = 180^\circ - \angle R I P. Furthermore, since SQP=SIN=α=SRP\angle S Q P = \angle S I N = \alpha = \angle S R P, then PRQSP R Q S is cyclic.

By Ptolemy's Theorem applied to C1AC2CC_1 A C_2 C,
CAC1C2=CC1AC2+CC2AC1=CC1(AC1+AC2)=CC1(PC1+QC2)=CC1(RPRC1+RQRC2)=CC1(RP+RQ)CC1(RC1+RC2) \begin{aligned} C A \cdot C_1 C_2 & = C C_1 \cdot A C_2 + C C_2 \cdot A C_1 = C C_1 (A C_1 + A C_2) \\ & = C C_1 (P C_1 + Q C_2) = C C_1 (R P - R C_1 + R Q - R C_2) \\ & = C C_1 (R P + R Q) - C C_1 (R C_1 + R C_2) \end{aligned}
We use Ptolemy's Theorem next on C1RC2CC_1 R C_2 C and PRQSP R Q S. Since C1CC2PSQ\triangle C_1 C C_2 \sim \triangle P S Q (both are isosceles with base angle α\alpha ),
CA=SPPQ(RP+RQ)CC1C1C2(RC1+RC2)=SQRP+SPRQPQCC2RC1+CC1RC2C1C2=RSPQPQRCC1C2C1C2=RSRC=CS. \begin{aligned} C A & = \frac{S P}{P Q}(R P + R Q) - \frac{C C_1}{C_1 C_2}(R C_1 + R C_2) \\ & = \frac{S Q \cdot R P + S P \cdot R Q}{P Q} - \frac{C C_2 \cdot R C_1 + C C_1 \cdot R C_2}{C_1 C_2} \\ & = \frac{R S \cdot P Q}{P Q} - \frac{R C \cdot C_1 C_2}{C_1 C_2} = R S - R C = C S . \end{aligned}

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