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Geometry Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it Ireland

The point PP is a fixed point on a circle and QQ is a fixed point on a line. The point RR is a variable point on the circle such that PP, QQ and RR are not collinear. The circle through PP, QQ and RR meets the line again at VV. Show that the line VRVR passes through a fixed point.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

There are different diagrams possible depending on relative positions of the circle, line and point PP. In one case, PRV\angle PRV and PQV\angle PQV are equal and in the other are complementary.

PRV=180PQV\angle PRV = 180^\circ - \angle PQV as PQVRPQVR is a cyclic quadrilateral. SS is the intersection of VRVR and the circle. TT is the intersection of the line PQPQ and the circle.

PRV=STP\angle PRV = \angle STP. Thus SS is a fixed point on the circle and SS is on VRVR. Hence VRVR always passes through SS.

The other case is similar.

Solution 2

Let XX be the other point where PQPQ meets the circle and let WW be the other point where the line through XX parallel to QVQV meets the circle - clearly WW is a fixed point on the circle.

Figure 1

Now PQVRPQVR is a cyclic quadrilateral. Therefore PRV=180PQV\angle PRV = 180^\circ - \angle PQV. Similarly PXWRPXWR is a cyclic quadrilateral, so PRW=180PXW\angle PRW = 180^\circ - \angle PXW. But PXW=PQV\angle PXW = \angle PQV. Therefore PRW=PRV\angle PRW = \angle PRV. Hence RR, WW and VV are collinear, as required. (Note that different configurations are possible depending on which side of the line PQPQ the point RR lies. However, the arguments are essentially the same in all cases.)

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