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Japanese Mathematical Olympiad

Geometry Difficulty 6.4 National Olympiad Prove it Japan

Let △ABC\triangle ABC be an acute triangle with circumcenter OO. Let O1O_1 and O2O_2 be the circumcenters of triangles ABOABO and ACOACO, respectively. Suppose that the circumcircle of triangle AO1O2AO_1O_2 intersects line segment BCBC at two distinct points PP and QQ (excluding the endpoints), with the four points B,P,Q,CB, P, Q, C appearing in this order along the segment. Let O3O_3 be the circumcenter of triangle OPQOPQ. Prove that the three points A,O,A, O, and O3O_3 lie on a straight line.

Solution

Let Q′Q' be the intersection of the perpendicular bisector of ABAB with line BCBC. Then, we have
∠AQ′O1=∠BQ′O1=90∘−∠ABC. \angle AQ'O_1 = \angle BQ'O_1 = 90^\circ - \angle ABC.
Moreover, since O1O_1 and O2O_2 lie on the perpendicular bisector of segment AOAO and O2O_2 is the circumcenter of triangle ACOACO, we have
∠AO2O1=12∠AO2O=∠ACO=12(180∘−∠AOC)=90∘−∠ABC. \angle AO_2O_1 = \frac{1}{2}\angle AO_2O = \angle ACO = \frac{1}{2}(180^\circ - \angle AOC) = 90^\circ - \angle ABC.
Hence, the four points A,O1,O2,Q′A, O_1, O_2, Q' are concyclic. Similarly, let P′P' be the intersection of the perpendicular bisector of ACAC with BCBC. Then, A,O1,O2,P′A, O_1, O_2, P' are concyclic. Since triangle ABCABC

is acute, OO does not lie on line BCBC and P′P' and Q′Q' are distinct. Hence \{P,QP, Q\} = \{P′,Q′P', Q'\}, and O3O_3 is the circumcenter of triangle OP′Q′OP'Q'. Now O1O_1, OO and Q′Q' are collinear and O2O_2, OO and P′P' are collinear. Let DD be the intersection of O1O2O_1O_2 and OO3OO_3. Then, we have
∠O2DO3=∠O2OO3−∠DO2O=(180∘−∠P′OO3)−∠O1O2P′=180∘−12(180∘−∠OO3P′)−∠O1O2P′=180∘−(90∘−∠OQ′P′)−∠O1Q′P′=90∘, \begin{align*} \angle O_2 DO_3 &= \angle O_2 OO_3 - \angle DO_2 O \\ &= (180^\circ - \angle P' OO_3) - \angle O_1 O_2 P' \\ &= 180^\circ - \frac{1}{2}(180^\circ - \angle OO_3 P') - \angle O_1 O_2 P' \\ &= 180^\circ - (90^\circ - \angle OQ' P') - \angle O_1 Q' P' \\ &= 90^\circ, \end{align*}
so lines O1O2O_1O_2 and OO3OO_3 meet at right angles. On the other hand, O1O2O_1O_2 is the perpendicular bisector of AOAO, so both AA and O3O_3 lie on the perpendicular to line O1O2O_1O_2 through OO. Therefore AA, OO, O3O_3 are collinear, as claimed.

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