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Geometry Difficulty 9.0 Shortlist Prove it Germany

Problem:

The point PP lies in the interior of the triangle ABCA B C and satisfies
B P C- B A C= C P A- C B A= A P B- A C B .\text{B P C- B A C= C P A- C B A= A P B- A C B .}
Prove that then it holds:
PABC=PBAC=PCAB \overline{P A} \cdot \overline{B C}=\overline{P B} \cdot \overline{A C}=\overline{P C} \cdot \overline{A B}
First one convinces oneself that B P C=60 + , C P A=60 + , A P B=60 +\text{B P C=60 + , C P A=60 + , A P B=60 +}. For reasons of symmetry it suffices to show one of the two claimed equalities. (Hint: For an angle X Y Z\text{X Y Z} with 0 < X Y Z<180\text{0 < X Y Z<180} in the mathematically positive sense, set Z Y X:= 180 - X Y Z\text{Z Y X:= 180 - X Y Z}. With this convention it holds, e.g., for four pairwise distinct points W,X,Y,ZW, X, Y, Z on a circle always X Y Z= X W Z\text{X Y Z= X W Z}).

Solution

Solution:

1.
The extensions of AP,BP,CPA P, B P, C P meet the circumcircle of triangle ABCA B C again in AA', BB', CC'. By means of the inscribed angle theorem and a simple angle-sum argument we find B’ A’ C’ = B’ A’ A + A A’ C’ = B’ B A + A C C’ = B P C - B A C = 60\text{B' A' C' = B' A' A + A A' C' = B' B A + A C C' = B P C - B A C = 60}. Likewise A’ C’ B’ = 60\text{A' C' B' = 60} and hence the triangle ABCA' B' C' is equilateral, i.e. AB=BC=CAA' B' = B' C' = C' A'. As usual we have APBBPAA P B \sim B' P A' and APCCPAA P C \sim C' P A'; from this it follows that APAC=CPCA\frac{A P}{A C} = \frac{C' P}{C' A'} and BPBC=CPCB\frac{B P}{B C} = \frac{C' P}{C' B'}. Combined with the previous, this teaches APAC=BPBC\frac{A P}{A C} = \frac{B P}{B C} and thus indeed ABPC=ACPBA B \cdot P C = A C \cdot P B.

2.
Choose the point JJ such that the triangles ABCA B C, PBJP B J (equally oriented) are similar. Then ABBP=BCBJ\frac{A B}{B P} = \frac{B C}{B J} and P B A = J B C\text{P B A = J B C}, wherefore the triangles ABPA B P, CBJC B J (equally oriented) must also be similar. Consequently C J P = C J B - P J B = (60 + ) - = 60\text{C J P = C J B - P J B = (60 + ) - = 60}. Since also J P C = B P C - B P J = (60 + ) - = 60\text{J P C = B P C - B P J = (60 + ) - = 60}, the triangle PCJP C J is equilateral and hence PC=PJP C = P J. By the choice of JJ we have ABAC=PBPJ\frac{A B}{A C} = \frac{P B}{P J} and from this it follows with the help of the previous, as desired, ACPB=ABPJ=ABPCA C \cdot P B = A B \cdot P J = A B \cdot P C.

3.
Over the segment BPB P the equilateral triangle BPTB P T is erected. The intersection point of PTP T with ABA B is called GG. Furthermore, on ACA C the point HH is chosen with C P H = 60\text{C P H = 60}. Because of A P G =\text{A P G =} and H P A =\text{H P A =} we must have H P G + G A H = 180\text{H P G + G A H = 180}, i.e. the quadrilateral GAHPG A H P is inscribed in a circle. Accordingly H G A = H P A =\text{H G A = H P A =}, from which it is immediately concluded that GHBCG H \parallel B C. For this reason ABAC=BGCH\frac{A B}{A C} = \frac{B G}{C H} (1). Furthermore, simple angle considerations show H C P = 60 - P B G = G B T\text{H C P = 60 - P B G = G B T}, which together with C P H = B T G [=60 ]\text{C P H = B T G [=60 ]} teaches the similarity of the triangles PCHP C H and TBGT B G. Hence we have BGCH=BTCP\frac{B G}{C H} = \frac{B T}{C P} (2). Since the triangle BPTB P T is equilateral by construction, in particular BT=BPB T = B P holds. Together with (1) and (2) we obtain from this ABAC=BPCP\frac{A B}{A C} = \frac{B P}{C P} and thus indeed ABPC=ACPBA B \cdot P C = A C \cdot P B.

4.
Choose the point GG such that the triangles AGCA G C, PBCP B C (equally oriented) are similar. As in the second solution we see that then the triangles GBCG B C and APCA P C (equally oriented) are also similar. Furthermore B A G = C A G - C A B = (60 + ) - = 60\text{B A G = C A G - C A B = (60 + ) - = 60} and likewise G B A = 60\text{G B A = 60}. The triangle AGBA G B is thus equilateral and hence AG=ABA G = A B. By AGCPBCA G C \sim P B C we thus have PB:PC=AG:AC=AB:ACP B : P C = A G : A C = A B : A C. Therefore, as claimed, ABPC=ACPBA B \cdot P C = A C \cdot P B.

5.
Let the feet of the perpendiculars from PP onto the sides BCB C, CAC A, ABA B be called X,Y,ZX, Y, Z. By Thales' theorem the quadrilaterals PXCYP X C Y, PYAZP Y A Z, PZBXP Z B X each have a circumcircle. We now find Z X Y = Z X P + P X Y = Z B P + P C Y = 60\text{Z X Y = Z X P + P X Y = Z B P + P C Y = 60} and analogously X Y Z = Y Z X = 60\text{X Y Z = Y Z X = 60}. The triangle XYZX Y Z is thus equilateral. For the length of the side XYX Y we find, by two applications of the law of sines, XY=PCsinγ=ABPC2RX Y = P C \cdot \sin \gamma = \frac{A B \cdot P C}{2 R}, where RR denotes the radius of the circumcircle of triangle ABCA B C. Likewise XZ=ACPB2RX Z = \frac{A C \cdot P B}{2 R}. From XY=XZX Y = X Z it now follows, as required, ABPC=ACPBA B \cdot P C = A C \cdot P B.

6.
The circumcircle of triangle ABPA B P intersects ACA C a second time at QQ. We obtain B Q A = B P A = + 60\text{B Q A = B P A = + 60} and from this, by the exterior angle theorem, Q B C = 60\text{Q B C = 60}. Moreover, from B P Q = 180 -\text{B P Q = 180 -} and C P B = 60 +\text{C P B = 60 +} we immediately get Q P C = 120\text{Q P C = 120}. Furthermore, if we set A B P =\text{A B P =}, we immediately obtain C Q P =\text{C Q P =}. By repeated use of the law of sines we now obtain
PCPA=PCCQCQQBQBAP=sinφsin120sin60sinγsinαsinφ=sinαsinγ=BCAB \frac{P C}{P A} = \frac{P C}{C Q} \cdot \frac{C Q}{Q B} \cdot \frac{Q B}{A P} = \frac{\sin \varphi}{\sin 120^{\circ}} \cdot \frac{\sin 60^{\circ}}{\sin \gamma} \cdot \frac{\sin \alpha}{\sin \varphi} = \frac{\sin \alpha}{\sin \gamma} = \frac{B C}{A B}
From this it follows immediately ABPC=APBCA B \cdot P C = A P \cdot B C.

7.
Over the side ABA B one erects the equilateral triangle ABQA B Q inward. Simple angle considerations now show Q A P = 60 - P A B = B C P\text{Q A P = 60 - P A B = B C P} and likewise P B Q = P C A\text{P B Q = P C A}. If we now introduce into the consideration the intersection point of ACA C with BQB Q as TT, the quadrilateral BCTPB C T P will be a cyclic quadrilateral because of P B T = P B Q = P C A = P C T\text{P B T = P B Q = P C A = P C T}. Consequently B T P = B C P = Q A P\text{B T P = B C P = Q A P}, hence P T Q + Q A P = 180\text{P T Q + Q A P = 180} and thus PTQAP T Q A is also a cyclic quadrilateral. For this reason B Q P = T Q P = T A P = C A P\text{B Q P = T Q P = T A P = C A P} holds, from which, together with P B Q = P C A\text{P B Q = P C A}, the similarity of the triangles BQPB Q P, CAPC A P follows. From this it is evident that PC:AC=PB:BQ=PB:ABP C : A C = P B : B Q = P B : A B, hence, as desired, ABPC=ACPBA B \cdot P C = A C \cdot P B.

8.
Set A C P = ’\text{A C P = '}, P B C = ”\text{P B C = ''}, P B A = ”\text{P B A = ''}. Now by the law of sines
sinβsinγ=sinβAPAPsinγ=sin(60+γ)cbsin(60+β)=sin(60+γ)sinγsinβsin(60+β)=1+3cotγ1+3cotβ \frac{\sin \beta''}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{\sin \beta''}{A P} \cdot \frac{A P}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{\sin (60^{\circ} + \gamma)}{c} \cdot \frac{b}{\sin (60^{\circ} + \beta)} = \frac{\sin (60^{\circ} + \gamma)}{\sin \gamma} \cdot \frac{\sin \beta}{\sin (60^{\circ} + \beta)} = \frac{1 + \sqrt{3} \cot \gamma}{1 + \sqrt{3} \cot \beta}
Since however β+γ=60\beta'' + \gamma' = 60^{\circ} we also have
sinβsinγ=sin(60γ)sinγ=32cotγ12 \frac{\sin \beta''}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{\sin (60^{\circ} - \gamma')}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \cot \gamma' - \frac{1}{2}
These two equations together yield
cotγ=3+cotβ+2cotγ1+3cotβ \cot \gamma' = \frac{\sqrt{3} + \cot \beta + 2 \cot \gamma}{1 + \sqrt{3} \cot \beta}
Furthermore
sinγsinγ=sin(γγ)sinγ=sinγcotγcosγ \frac{\sin \gamma''}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{\sin (\gamma - \gamma')}{\sin \gamma'} = \sin \gamma \cot \gamma' - \cos \gamma
Herein we insert the equation found previously and obtain
sinγsinγ=(3sinβsinγ+cosβsinγ+2sinβcosγ)(sinβcosγ+3cosβcosγ)sinβ+3cosβ=sinα+3cosαsinβ+3cosβ=sin(60+α)sin(60+β) \begin{gathered} \frac{\sin \gamma''}{\sin \gamma'} = \frac{(\sqrt{3} \sin \beta \sin \gamma + \cos \beta \sin \gamma + 2 \sin \beta \cos \gamma) - (\sin \beta \cos \gamma + \sqrt{3} \cos \beta \cos \gamma)}{\sin \beta + \sqrt{3} \cos \beta} \\ = \frac{\sin \alpha + \sqrt{3} \cos \alpha}{\sin \beta + \sqrt{3} \cos \beta} = \frac{\sin (60^{\circ} + \alpha)}{\sin (60^{\circ} + \beta)} \end{gathered}
Therefore by the law of sines
APAC=sinγsin(β+60)=sinγsin(α+60)=BPBC \frac{A P}{A C} = \frac{\sin \gamma'}{\sin (\beta + 60^{\circ})} = \frac{\sin \gamma''}{\sin (\alpha + 60^{\circ})} = \frac{B P}{B C}
i.e. as desired APBC=BPACA P \cdot B C = B P \cdot A C.

9.
The circumcircle of triangle APBA P B meets the line CPC P a second time at JJ. Then A J P = A B P\text{A J P = A B P}. Together with A B P + P C A = 60\text{A B P + P C A = 60} this teaches C A J = 120\text{C A J = 120}. Likewise we see J B C = 120\text{J B C = 120}. Thus we have
A C B C = A C J C J C B C = A J C C A J J B C C J B = A J P P J B = A B P P A B = A P B P ,\text{A C B C = A C J C J C B C = A J C C A J J B C C J B = A J P P J B = A B P P A B = A P B P ,}
i.e. as claimed ACBP=BCAPA C \cdot B P = B C \cdot A P.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement translated into English from de; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.