GeometryDifficulty 5.6AIME, harderFind the answerItaly
Given, in space, three distinct points X,Y and Z; we ask whether there exists a point P different from X,Y and Z such that the lines PX,PY and PZ are pairwise perpendicular. Four friends make the following statements:
Alberto: "There exist X,Y,Z and P belonging to the same plane that satisfy these conditions."
Barbara: "There do not exist 4 points X,Y,Z and P that satisfy these conditions."
Carlo: "In order for P to exist it is necessary that XYZ be acute-angled."
Daria: "In order for P to exist it is sufficient that XYZ not be obtuse-angled."
Who is right?
Pick one
Solution
Solution:
The answer is (C). The only one who is right is Carlo.
Alberto is wrong: indeed, if there existed X,Y,Z,P belonging to the same plane such that PX,PY and PZ are pairwise perpendicular, then PZ⊥PX,PZ⊥PY and hence PY∥PX, which is absurd.
Barbara is wrong: 4 such points are given, for example, by the endpoints of 3 edges of a cube sharing a common vertex (which will be P), or more generally by the vertices of any right-angled tetrahedron.
Carlo is right: indeed, since XY2=PX2+PY2<PX2+PY2+2⋅PZ2=XZ2+YZ2, then XZY is acute, and similarly ZXY and XYZ are also acute. An alternative argument to show that Carlo is right is the following: consider the sphere with diameter XY, then P belongs to this sphere and the line PZ is perpendicular to the plane on which P,X,Y lie, hence every point of this line (except P) is outside the sphere. But then XZY is acute (and similarly ZXY and XYZ are also acute).
Daria is wrong: by what was said above, it is necessary that XYZ be acute-angled, so XYZ cannot be right-angled; in particular, it is not sufficient that XYZ not be obtuse-angled.
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Source: MathNet,
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