Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /8 of 21

, 2007

Geometry Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it IMO

Given an isosceles triangle ABCA B C with AB=ACA B = A C. The midpoint of side BCB C is denoted by MM. Let XX be a variable point on the shorter arc MAM A of the circumcircle of triangle ABMA B M. Let TT be the point in the angle domain BMAB M A, for which TMX=90\angle T M X = 90^{\circ} and TX=BXT X = B X. Prove that MTBCTM\angle M T B - \angle C T M does not depend on XX.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Let NN be the midpoint of segment BTB T (see Figure 1).
Line XNX N is the axis of symmetry in the isosceles triangle BXTB X T, thus TNX=90\angle T N X = 90^{\circ} and BXN=NXT\angle B X N = \angle N X T.
Moreover, in triangle BCTB C T, line MNM N is the midline parallel to CTC T; hence CTM=NMT\angle C T M = \angle N M T.
Due to the right angles at points MM and NN, these points lie on the circle with diameter XTX T. Therefore,
MTB=MTN=MXNandCTM=NMT=NXT=BXN. \angle M T B = \angle M T N = \angle M X N \quad \text{and} \quad \angle C T M = \angle N M T = \angle N X T = \angle B X N.
Hence
MTBCTM=MXNBXN=MXB=MAB \angle M T B - \angle C T M = \angle M X N - \angle B X N = \angle M X B = \angle M A B
which does not depend on XX.

Figure 1
Figure 1

Solution 2

Let SS be the reflection of point TT over MM (see Figure 2).
Then XMX M is the perpendicular bisector of TST S, hence XB=XT=XSX B = X T = X S, and XX is the circumcenter of triangle BSTB S T.
Moreover, BSM=CTM\angle B S M = \angle C T M since they are symmetrical about MM.
Then
MTBCTM=STBBST=SXBBXT2. \angle M T B - \angle C T M = \angle S T B - \angle B S T = \frac{\angle S X B - \angle B X T}{2}.
Observe that SXB=SXTBXT=2MXTBXT\angle S X B = \angle S X T - \angle B X T = 2 \angle M X T - \angle B X T, so
MTBCTM=2MXT2BXT2=MXB=MAB, \angle M T B - \angle C T M = \frac{2 \angle M X T - 2 \angle B X T}{2} = \angle M X B = \angle M A B,
which is constant.

Figure 2
Figure 2

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