GeometryDifficulty 7.4National Olympiad, round 2Prove itUnited States
Let ABC be an acute triangle with incenter I, circumcenter O, and circumcircle Γ. Let M be the midpoint of AB. Ray AI meets BC at D. Denote by ω and γ the circumcircles of △BIC and △BAD, respectively. Line MO meets ω at X and Y, while line CO meets ω at C and Q. Assume that Q lies inside △ABC and ∠AQM=∠ACB. Consider the tangents to ω at X and Y and the tangents to γ at A and D. Given that ∠BAC=60∘, prove that these four lines are concurrent on Γ.
Solution
Henceforth assume ∠A=60∘; we prove the concurrence. Let L denote the center of ω, which is the midpoint of minor arc BC.
Claim. Let K be the point on ω such that KL∥AB and KC∥AL. Then KA is tangent to γ, and we may put x=KA=LB=LC=LX=LY=KX=KY. Proof. By construction, KA=LB=LC. Also, MO is the perpendicular bisector of KL (since the chords KL, AB of ω are parallel) and so KXLY is a rhombus as well. Moreover, KA is tangent to γ as well since ∠KAD=∠KAL=∠KAC+∠CAL=∠KBC+∠ABK=∠ABC.
Up to now we have not used the existence of Q; we henceforth do so. Note that Q=O, since ∠A=60∘⟹O∈/ω. Moreover, we have ∠AOM=∠ACB too. Since O and Q both lie inside △ABC, this implies that A,M,O,Q are concyclic. As Q=O we conclude ∠CQA=90∘. The main claim is now: Claim. Assuming Q exists, the rhombus LXKY is a square. In particular, KX and KY are tangent to ω.
First proof of Claim, communicated by Milan Haiman. Observe that △QLC∼△LOC. Hence, CL2=CO⋅CQ. Then, x2=CL2=CO⋅CQ=CN⋅CA=21CA2=21LK2 where we have also used the fact AQON is cyclic. Thus LK=2x and so the rhombus LXKY is actually a square. □
Second proof of Claim, Evan Chen. Observe that Q lies on the circle with diameter AC, centered at N, say. This means that O lies on the radical axis of ω and (N), hence NL⊥CO implying NO2+CL2=NC2+LO2=NC2+OC2=NC2+NO2+NC2⟹x2=2NC2⟹x=2NC=21AC=21LK. So LXKY is a rhombus with LK=2x. Hence it is a square. □
Third proof of Claim. A solution by trig is also possible. As in the previous claims, it suffices to show that AC=2x.
First, we compute the length CQ in two ways; by angle chasing one can show ∠CBQ=180∘−(∠BQC+∠QCB)=21∠A, and so ACsinB⇔sin2B⇔sin2B⇔sinB⇔2RsinB⇔AC=CQ=sin(90∘+21∠A)BC⋅sin21∠A=cos21∠AsinA⋅sin21∠A=2sin221∠A=2sin21∠A=2(2Rsin21∠A)=2x as desired (we have here used the fact △ABC is acute to take square roots).
We finish by proving that KD=KA and hence line KD is tangent to γ. Let E=BC∩KL. Then LE⋅LK=LC2=LX2=21LK2 and so E is the midpoint of LK. Thus MXOY, BC, KL are concurrent at E. As DL∥KC, we find that DLCK is a parallelogram, so KD=CL=KA as well. Thus KD and KA are tangent to γ.
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