Problem: Let ABC be a triangle and D be the mid-point of side BC. Suppose ∠DAB=∠BCA and ∠DAC=15∘. Show that ∠ADC is obtuse. Further, if O is the circumcentre of ADC, prove that triangle AOD is equilateral.
Solution
Solution: Let α denote the equal angles ∠BAD=∠DCA. Using sine rule in triangles DAB and DAC, we get sinBAD=sinαBD,sin15∘CD=sinαAD Eliminating α (using BD=DC and 2α+B+15∘=π), we obtain 1+cos(B+15∘)=2sinBsin15∘. But we know that 2sinBsin15∘=cos(B−15∘)−cos(B+15∘). Putting β=B−15∘, we get a relation 1+2cos(β+30)=cosβ. We write this in the form (1−3)cosβ+sinβ=1 Since sinβ≤1, it follows that (1−3)cosβ≥0. We conclude that cosβ≤0 and hence that β is obtuse. So is angle B and hence ∠ADC.
We have the relation (1−3)cosβ+sinβ=1. If we set x=tan(β/2), then we get, using cosβ=(1−x2)/(1+x2), sinβ=2x/(1+x2), (3−2)x2+2x−3=0 Solving for x, we obtain x=1 or x=3(2+3). If x=3(2+3), then tan(β/2)>2+3=tan75∘ giving us β>150∘. This forces that B>165∘ and hence B+A>165∘+15∘=180∘, a contradiction. Thus x=1 giving us β=π/2. This gives B=105∘ and hence α=30∘. Thus ∠DAO=60∘. Since OA=OD, the result follows.
Solution 2: Let ma denote the median AD. Then we can compute cosα=2cmac2+ma2−(a2/4),sinα=cma2Δ where Δ denotes the area of triangle ABC. These two expressions give cotα=4Δc2+ma2−(a2/4) Similarly, we obtain cot∠CAD=4Δb2+ma2−(a2/4) Thus we get cotα−cot15∘=4Δc2−a2 Similarly we can also obtain cotB−cotα=4Δc2−a2 giving us the relation cotB=2cotα−cot15∘ If B is acute then 2cotα>cot15∘=2+3>23. It follows that cotα>3. This implies that α<30∘ and hence B=180∘−2α−15∘>105∘ This contradiction forces that angle B is obtuse and consequently ∠ADC is obtuse.
Since ∠BAD=α=∠ACD, the line AB is tangent to the circumcircle Γ of ADC at A. Hence OA is perpendicular to AB. Draw DE and BF perpendicular to AC, and join OD. Since ∠DAC=15∘, we see that ∠DOC=30∘ and hence DE=OD/2. But DE is parallel to BF and BD=DC shows that BF=2DE. We conclude that BF=DO. But DO=AO, both being radii of Γ. Thus BF=AO. Using right triangles BFO and BAO, we infer that AB=OF. We conclude that ABFO is a rectangle. In particular ∠AOF=90∘. It follows that ∠AOD=90∘−∠DOC=90∘−30∘=60∘ Since OA=OD, we conclude that AOD is equilateral.
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