Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2012

Geometry Difficulty 6.7 National Olympiad Prove it Hong Kong

EE and FF are points on side ABAB of ABC\triangle ABC such that AE=EF=FBAE = EF = FB. DD is a point on the line BCBC such that BCBC is perpendicular to EDED, ADAD is perpendicular to CFCF. Suppose CFA=3BDF\angle CFA = 3\angle BDF. Determine the value of DBDC\frac{DB}{DC}.

Solution

We have DBDC=72\frac{DB}{DC} = \frac{7}{2}.
Firstly, since EDB=90\angle EDB = 90^\circ and BF=EFBF = EF, we have DF=BFDF = BF. This implies FDB=FBD=θ\angle FDB = \angle FBD = \theta, and hence DFE=2θ\angle DFE = 2\theta. It follows that CC lies on the segment BDBD, and
CDF=3θ2θ=θ. \angle CDF = 3\theta - 2\theta = \theta.
Let PP be the intersection point of ADAD and FCFC, and let MM be the midpoint of BDBD. Note that FMBDFM \perp BD since FBD\triangle FBD is isosceles. This shows
DMF=90=DPF. \angle DMF = 90^\circ = \angle DPF.
Therefore, F,M,P,DF, M, P, D are concyclic. Since CDF=CFD\angle CDF = \angle CFD, FMPDFMPD is an isosceles trapezoid.
Now, applying Menelaus' theorem to BCF\triangle BCF, we obtain
BDDC×CPPF×FAAB=1. \frac{BD}{DC} \times \frac{CP}{PF} \times \frac{FA}{AB} = 1.

Note that BD=2MD=2PFBD = 2MD = 2PF and FAAB=23\frac{FA}{AB} = \frac{2}{3}. Therefore, we get CPDC=34\frac{CP}{DC} = \frac{3}{4}. This implies CMDC=CPDC=34\frac{CM}{DC} = \frac{CP}{DC} = \frac{3}{4}, and hence
DBDC=2DMDC=2(DC+CM)DC=72. \frac{DB}{DC} = \frac{2DM}{DC} = \frac{2(DC + CM)}{DC} = \frac{7}{2}.

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