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Geometry Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Prove it Estonia

Points EE and FF are chosen respectively on the sides CACA and ABAB of triangle ABCABC. Lines BEBE and CFCF intersect at PP. Let QQ be a point such that PBQCPBQC is a parallelogram and RR a point such that AERFAERF is a parallelogram. Prove that PRAQPR \parallel AQ.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Let SS be a point such that PESFPESF is a parallelogram (Fig. 15). We first show that PRASPR \parallel AS. For this note that PER=SFA\angle PER = \angle SFA since PEFSPE \parallel FS and ERAFER \parallel AF. Additionally PE=FSPE = FS and ER=AFER = AF, thus triangles PERPER and SFASFA are congruent. From this we deduce that PRASPR \parallel AS.

In order to prove the problem statement it now suffices to show that AA, SS and QQ are collinear. Let XX be the point of intersection of ESES and AFAF and YY be the point of intersection of FSFS and AEAE (Fig. 16).

First we show that XYBCXY \parallel BC. Denote AEAC=κ\frac{AE}{AC} = \kappa and AFAB=λ\frac{AF}{AB} = \lambda. As EXCFEX \parallel CF, we have AXAF=AEAC=κ\frac{AX}{AF} = \frac{AE}{AC} = \kappa. Thus AXAB=AXAFAFAB=κλ\frac{AX}{AB} = \frac{AX}{AF} \cdot \frac{AF}{AB} = \kappa \cdot \lambda. Analogously, we get AYAC=κλ\frac{AY}{AC} = \kappa \cdot \lambda. Consequently, AXAB=AYAC\frac{AX}{AB} = \frac{AY}{AC}, which implies XYBCXY \parallel BC.

The fact just proven implies XYBC=AXAB\frac{XY}{BC} = \frac{AX}{AB}. It suffices to notice that the triangles BCQBCQ and XYSXYS are similar as their respective sides are parallel. Thus XS=XY\overrightarrow{XS} = \overrightarrow{XY} which implies XS=AXAB\overrightarrow{XS} = \frac{AX}{AB}. Since XSBQXS \parallel BQ, this implies that the points AA, SS and QQ are collinear.

Figure 1
Fig. 15
Figure 2
Fig. 16

Solution 2

Denote AC=e1\vec{AC} = \vec{e}_1 and AB=e2\vec{AB} = \vec{e}_2. Take κ,λ\kappa, \lambda such that AE=κe1\vec{AE} = \kappa \vec{e}_1 and AF=λe2\vec{AF} = \lambda \vec{e}_2. Then
AR=AE+AF=κe1+λe2,EB=ABAE=e2κe1,FC=ACAF=e1λe2. \begin{aligned} \vec{AR} &= \vec{AE} + \vec{AF} = \kappa \vec{e}_1 + \lambda \vec{e}_2, \\ \vec{EB} &= \vec{AB} - \vec{AE} = \vec{e}_2 - \kappa \vec{e}_1, \\ \vec{FC} &= \vec{AC} - \vec{AF} = \vec{e}_1 - \lambda \vec{e}_2. \end{aligned}
Take also α,β\alpha, \beta such that EP=αEB\vec{EP} = \alpha \vec{EB} and FP=βFC\vec{FP} = \beta \vec{FC}. Then
AP=AF+βFC=λe2+β(e1λe2)=βe1+(1β)λe2,AP=AE+αEB=κe1+α(e2κe1)=(1α)κe1+αe2. \begin{aligned} \vec{AP} &= \vec{AF} + \beta \vec{FC} = \lambda \vec{e}_2 + \beta(\vec{e}_1 - \lambda \vec{e}_2) = \beta \vec{e}_1 + (1 - \beta)\lambda \vec{e}_2, \\ \vec{AP} &= \vec{AE} + \alpha \vec{EB} = \kappa \vec{e}_1 + \alpha(\vec{e}_2 - \kappa \vec{e}_1) = (1 - \alpha)\kappa \vec{e}_1 + \alpha \vec{e}_2. \end{aligned}
Consequently, βe1+(1β)λe2=(1α)κe1+αe2\beta \vec{e}_1 + (1 - \beta) \lambda \vec{e}_2 = (1 - \alpha) \kappa \vec{e}_1 + \alpha \vec{e}_2. As vectors e1\vec{e}_1 and e2\vec{e}_2 are not parallel, the equality can hold only if the respective coefficients are equal, i.e., β=(1α)κ\beta = (1 - \alpha)\kappa and (1β)λ=α(1 - \beta)\lambda = \alpha. This implies AP=βe1+αe2\vec{AP} = \beta \vec{e}_1 + \alpha \vec{e}_2. Now we obtain
PR=ARAP=(κe1+λe2)(βe1+αe2)=(κβ)e1+(λα)e2,AQ=AC+CQ=AC+PB=AC+ABAP=e1+e2(βe1+αe2)=(1β)e1+(1α)e2. \begin{aligned} \vec{PR} &= \vec{AR} - \vec{AP} = (\kappa \vec{e}_1 + \lambda \vec{e}_2) - (\beta \vec{e}_1 + \alpha \vec{e}_2) = (\kappa - \beta) \vec{e}_1 + (\lambda - \alpha) \vec{e}_2, \\ \vec{AQ} &= \vec{AC} + \vec{CQ} = \vec{AC} + \vec{PB} = \vec{AC} + \vec{AB} - \vec{AP} \\ &= \vec{e}_1 + \vec{e}_2 - (\beta \vec{e}_1 + \alpha \vec{e}_2) = (1 - \beta) \vec{e}_1 + (1 - \alpha) \vec{e}_2. \end{aligned}
The lines PRPR and AQAQ being parallel is equivalent to the vectors PR\vec{PR} and AQ\vec{AQ} being parallel, which in turn is equivalent to their coefficients being proportional. Hence it suffices to show that κβ1β=λα1α\frac{\kappa - \beta}{1 - \beta} = \frac{\lambda - \alpha}{1 - \alpha}, or equivalently,
(κβ)(1α)=(λα)(1β). (\kappa - \beta)(1 - \alpha) = (\lambda - \alpha)(1 - \beta).
As κ(1α)=β\kappa(1 - \alpha) = \beta and λ(1β)=α\lambda(1 - \beta) = \alpha, we have
(κβ)(1α)=κ(1α)β(1α)=ββ+αβ=αβ,(λα)(1β)=λ(1β)α(1β)=αα+αβ=αβ. \begin{aligned} (\kappa - \beta)(1 - \alpha) &= \kappa(1 - \alpha) - \beta(1 - \alpha) = \beta - \beta + \alpha\beta = \alpha\beta, \\ (\lambda - \alpha)(1 - \beta) &= \lambda(1 - \beta) - \alpha(1 - \beta) = \alpha - \alpha + \alpha\beta = \alpha\beta. \end{aligned}
Hence the desired equality holds and the proof is complete.

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