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Geometry Difficulty 8.9 Shortlist Prove it India

Let ABCABC be an acute-angled triangle with AB<ACAB < AC, incenter II, and let MM be the midpoint of major arc BACBAC. Suppose the perpendicular line from AA to segment BCBC meets lines BIBI, CICI, and MIMI at points PP, QQ, and KK respectively. Prove that the AA-median line in AIK\triangle AIK passes through the circumcentre of PIQ\triangle PIQ.

Solution

Solution A
Observe that PIQ=90A2\angle PIQ = 90 - \frac{\angle A}{2}, IQP=90C2\angle IQP = 90 - \frac{\angle C}{2} and IPQ=90B2\angle IPQ = 90 - \frac{\angle B}{2}. Thus, if DEF\triangle DEF is the orthic triangle of IPQ\triangle IPQ, then it is similar to ABC\triangle ABC.
Let \ell be the II midline in IPQ\triangle IPQ and OO be the circumcenter. Now, let X=AOX = \ell \cap AO and KK' be the reflection of II across XX. Then, we just want that K,KK', K coincide or equivalently that I,M,XI, M, X are collinear.
Now, with respect to triangle IPQIPQ, AIAI is tangent to the circumcircle of IPQIPQ as AIQ=90B2\angle AIQ = 90 - \frac{\angle B}{2} as required.
Let HH be the orthocenter of IPQ\triangle IPQ and NN be the midpoint of PQPQ. Then, we have that AIM=NHD\angle AIM = \angle NHD so we just want NHD+AIX=180\angle NHD + \angle AIX = 180^\circ. But AIX=90+OIX\angle AIX = 90^\circ + \angle OIX and NHD=90HND\angle NHD = 90^\circ - \angle HND. Thus, we just want that HND=OIX\angle HND = \angle OIX
Taking homothety with dilation factor +2+2 from II, we have XX going to KK' which is now the intersection of PQPQ and the line through the antipode of II in IPQIPQ and the point RR on (IPQ)(IPQ) such that ARAR is tangent to (IPQ)(IPQ).
Now let HN(IPQ)=S1,S2HN \cap (IPQ) = S_1, S_2 where S2S_2 is the antipode of II and let HH' be the reflection of HH in PQPQ.
Now, we just want HND=HS2H=S1IH\angle HND = \angle HS_2H' = \angle S_1IH. Thus, we want S1IH=OIK\angle S_1IH = \angle OIK' or that IKIK' and IS1IS_1 are isogonal in QIP\angle QIP.
Now, performing bc\sqrt{bc} and reflection in IPQ\triangle IPQ, we get that S1S_1 and KK' interchange. Thus, IKIK' and IS1IS_1 are isogonal in QIP\angle QIP as required. Thus, we are done. \square

Let OO be the circumcenter of PIQ\triangle PIQ, SS be the point on circumcircle of PIQ\triangle PIQ so that ISAJIS \perp AJ, RR be the antipode of II in the circumcircle of PIQ\triangle PIQ. I will use the following:
Lemma 1.1 Let TT be a point on the line through II perpendicular to AIAI. Then (IB,IC;IT,IM)=1(IB, IC; IT, IM) = -1.
Proof. Let IB,ICI_B, I_C be the B,CB, C-excenters. Then we can project onto IBICI_B I_C and reduce to showing that MM is the midpoint of IBICI_B I_C which is known. \square
Now, we begin investigating the problem at hand:
Lemma 1.2 IOAIIO \perp AI.
Proof. This is direct: AIP=90B/2\angle AIP = 90^\circ - B/2 and PIO=90PQO=90(90B/2)=B/2\angle PIO = 90^\circ - \angle PQO = 90^\circ - (90^\circ - B/2) = B/2. \square
Proposition 1.3 S,R,KS, R, K are collinear.
Proof. Let the circumcircle of PIQ\triangle PIQ be denoted by ω\omega. From Lemma 1.2, AIAI is tangent to ω\omega. Therefore, ISIS is the II-symmedian of PIQ\triangle PIQ. Hence, (P,Q;S,I)=1(P, Q; S, I) = -1. Projecting from RR, we get (RP,RQ;RS,RI)=1(RP, RQ; RS, RI) = -1, hence if RIPQ=XRI \cap PQ = X and RSPQ=KRS \cap PQ = K', then (P,Q;X,K)=1(P, Q; X, K') = -1. On the other hand, we know (IB,IC;IR,IM)=1(IB, IC; IR, IM) = -1 from Lemma 1.1, so projecting onto PQPQ we get (P,Q;X,K)=1(P, Q; X, K) = -1. Thus K=KK = K' which finishes the proof. \square
Proposition 1.4 AOAO bisects IKIK.
Proof. RSSIRS \perp SI since RIRI is the diameter, hence RKAORK \parallel AO. But OO is the midpoint of RIRI, hence AOAO bisects IKIK by midpoint theorem. \square

Solution C
Let JJ be the AA-excentre of ABC\triangle ABC and LL the point on BCBC with line LJ LJ is tangent to the AA-excircle. Let NN be the midpoint of arc BCBC not containing AA of the circumcircle of ABCABC. Let SS be the point on BCBC with ANS=90\angle ANS = 90^\circ. Let TT be the point on BCBC with TNMITN \perp MI.
Claim. SS is the midpoint of LTLT.

Proof. Note that by the Incenter-Excenter Lemma, NN is the midpoint of IJIJ so JLAIJL \perp AI and by standard mixtilinear facts, TIAITI \perp AI. Thus, L,S,TL, S, T are obtained by drawing perpendicular lines to line AIAI from the points J,N,IJ, N, I respectively and intersecting with line BCBC. Since NN is the midpoint of JIJI, then SS is the midpoint of LTLT as desired. \square
Now observe that IPQJBC\triangle IPQ \sim \triangle JBC so the spiral similarity mapping IPQIPQ to JBCJBC consists of a 90° rotation as PQBCPQ \perp BC. Since AIAI is tangent to (PIQ)(PIQ) and AA lies on PQPQ, the spiral similarity sends AA to LL and the line passing through AA and the circumcentre of PIQPIQ to the line LNLN. So it suffices to show that the line through AA perpendicular to LNLN bisects IKIK.
Thus we want cross ratio of lines AP,AIAP, AI, line through AA parallel to IKIK and line through AA perpendicular to LNLN form a harmonic bundle. Taking directions perpendicular to this pencil from NN, we get the four lines NBCN\infty_{BC} (as BCAPBC \perp AP), NSNS (as NSAINS \perp AI), NLNL and the line NTNT as NTKINT \perp KI. Projecting this pencil at NN to BCBC we get that this cross ratio equals since (BCS;LT)=1(\infty_{BC}S; LT) = -1 as SS is the midpoint of LTLT. This concludes the proof. \square

Solution D
Let D,E,FD, E, F be the foot of perpendiculars from II to BC,CA,ABBC, CA, AB respectively. Let NN be the midpoint of BCBC. Suppose the foot of perpendicular from NN onto EFEF is LL. We use that I,L,MI, L, M are collinear. This can be proven in many ways: one sketch of the argument goes as follows: If XX (resp. YY) is the foot of perpendicular of BB (resp. CC) onto CICI (resp. BIBI), then X,YX, Y lie on EFEF, and NN is the midpoint of XYXY. On the other hand, if IB,ICI_B, I_C are the BB-, CC-excenters, then MM is the midpoint of IBICI_B I_C. The result then follows on noting that XYIBICXY \parallel I_B I_C, and considering a homothety at II.
Now toss the diagram on the complex plane. Let the incircle of ABC\triangle ABC be the unit circle, so II is the origin, and let D=1D = 1, E=eE = e, F=fF = f without loss of generality.
Now, it is well known that the intersection of tangents to the unit circle at points x,yx, y is 2xyx+y\frac{2xy}{x+y}.
Therefore, A=a=2efe+fA = a = \frac{2ef}{e+f}, B=b=2ff+1B = b = \frac{2f}{f+1}, C=c=2ee+1C = c = \frac{2e}{e+1}. Thus, the midpoint of BCBC is N=ee+1+ff+1N = \frac{e}{e+1} + \frac{f}{f+1}.
Hence, the foot of perpendicular from NN to EFEF is
L=l=12(e+f+ee+1+ff+1ef(1e+1+1f+1))=(e+f)(e+f+2)2(e+1)(f+1). L = l = \frac{1}{2} \left( e + f + \frac{e}{e+1} + \frac{f}{f+1} - ef \left( \frac{1}{e+1} + \frac{1}{f+1} \right) \right) = \frac{(e+f)(e+f+2)}{2(e+1)(f+1)}.
We know D=1D = 1, therefore the line perpendicular to BCBC from AA is the set of points zz with Im(z)=Im(A)\operatorname{Im}(z) = \operatorname{Im}(A), i.e. zzˉ=2(ef1)e+fz - \bar{z} = \frac{2(ef - 1)}{e + f}.
Now, PP lies on BIBI, therefore p=λbp = \lambda b for some λR\lambda \in \mathbb{R}. Note that bˉ=1fb\bar{b} = \frac{1}{f} \cdot b, therefore, pˉ=1fp\bar{p} = \frac{1}{f} \cdot p. Thus,
ppˉ=(f1)fp    p=2f(ef1)(e+f)(f1)Similarly, q=2e(ef1)(e+f)(e1). p - \bar{p} = \frac{(f-1)}{f} \cdot p \implies p = \frac{2f(ef-1)}{(e+f)(f-1)} \cdot \text{Similarly, } q = \frac{2e(ef-1)}{(e+f)(e-1)}.
With the same idea, one checks that lˉ=(e+f)(2ef+e+f)2ef(e+1)(f+1)=l(2ef+e+f)ef(e+f+2)\bar{l} = \frac{(e+f)(2ef+e+f)}{2ef(e+1)(f+1)} = l \cdot \frac{(2ef+e+f)}{ef(e+f+2)}, therefore,
kkˉ=(ef1)(e+f)ef(e+f+2)k    k=2ef(e+f+2)(e+f)2. k - \bar{k} = \frac{(ef - 1)(e + f)}{ef(e + f + 2)} \cdot k \implies k = \frac{2ef(e + f + 2)}{(e + f)^2}.
We know that the circumcenter of a circle passing through origin, p,qp, q is given by pq(pˉqˉ)pˉqpqˉ\frac{pq(\bar{p} - \bar{q})}{\bar{p}q - p\bar{q}}. Note that p=2(ef1)(e+f)p1p = \frac{2(ef - 1)}{(e+f)} \cdot p_1, and q=2(ef1)(e+f)q1q = \frac{2(ef - 1)}{(e+f)} \cdot q_1 where p1,q1p_1, q_1 are ff1,ee1\frac{f}{f-1}, \frac{e}{e-1} respectively. Thus the circumcenter of IPQ\triangle IPQ is 2(ef1)(e+f)t\frac{2(ef - 1)}{(e+f)} \cdot t where tt is the circumcenter of IP1Q1\triangle IP_1Q_1. This simplifies calculation, and we get
The circumcenter of IPQ=2(ef1)(e+f)ef(e1)(f1)(11f11e)e(1f)(e1)f(1e)(f1)=2ef(ef1)(e+f)(e1)(f1). \text{The circumcenter of } \triangle IPQ = \frac{2(ef-1)}{(e+f)} \cdot \frac{\frac{ef}{(e-1)(f-1)} \left( \frac{1}{1-f} - \frac{1}{1-e} \right)}{\frac{e}{(1-f)(e-1)} - \frac{f}{(1-e)(f-1)}} = \frac{2ef(ef-1)}{(e+f)(e-1)(f-1)}.
Thus, we need to show that 2ef(e+f)\frac{2ef}{(e+f)}, 2ef(ef1)(e+f)(e1)(f1)\frac{2ef(ef-1)}{(e+f)(e-1)(f-1)}, ef(e+f+2)(e+f)2\frac{ef(e+f+2)}{(e+f)^2} are collinear. Multiplying by (e+f)2ef\frac{(e+f)}{2ef}, we reduce to proving 1, ef1(e1)(f1)\frac{ef-1}{(e-1)(f-1)}, e+f+22(e+f)\frac{e+f+2}{2(e+f)} are collinear for which we consider:
ef1(e1)(f1)1e+f+22(e+f)1=e+f2(e1)(f1)2ef2(e+f)=2(e+f)(e1)(f1) \frac{\frac{ef-1}{(e-1)(f-1)} - 1}{\frac{e+f+2}{2(e+f)} - 1} = \frac{\frac{e+f-2}{(e-1)(f-1)}}{\frac{2-e-f}{2(e+f)}} = -\frac{2(e+f)}{(e-1)(f-1)}
The above quantity may be easily checked to equal the conjugate, so we are done.

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