Problem: Let XY be a chord of a circle Ω, with center O, which is not a diameter. Let P,Q be two distinct points inside the segment XY, where Q lies between P and X. Let ℓ the perpendicular line dropped from P to the diameter which passes through Q. Let M be the intersection point of ℓ and Ω, which is closer to P. Prove that MP⋅XY≥2⋅QX⋅PY
Solution
Solution by PSC. At first, we will allow P and Q to coincide, and we will prove the inequality in this case. Let the perpendicular from Q to OQ meet Ω at B and C. Then, we have that QB=QC. We will show that BQ⋅XY≥2QX⋅QY By the power of a point Theorem we have that QX⋅QY=QB⋅QC=QB2 therefore it is enough to prove that XY≥2BQ or XY≥BC. Let T be the foot of the perpendicular from O to XY. Then, from the right-angled triangle OTQ we have that OT≤OQ, so the distance from O to the chord XY is smaller or equal to the distance from O to the chord BC. This means that XY≥BC, so (1) holds.
Back to the initial problem, we have to prove that MP⋅XY≥2QX⋅PY⟺2QXXY≥PMPY By (1) we have that 2QXXY≥QBQY so it is enough to prove that QBQY≥PMPY If CB meets YM at S, then from MP∥QS we get QBQY≥QSQY=PMPY which is the desired.
We will show that (QM−QP)⋅XY≥2⋅QX⋅PY. Since MP≥QM−QP, our inequality follows directly. Let A the intersection point of ℓ with the diameter which passes through Q. Like in the following picture, choose a coordinative system centered at O and such that Q=(a,0),A=(c,0), P=(c,h) and denote the lengths QX=x,PQ=t,PY=y,OP=d,QM=z. Let λQ=r2−a2 and λP=r2−d2 respectively the power of Q and P with respect to our circle Ω. We will show that: (z−t)(t+x+y)≥2xy
Adding and multiplying respectively the relations x(t+y)=λQ and y(t+x)=λP, we will have t(x+y)+2xy=λP+λQ and xy(t+x)(t+y)=λPλQ Using these two equations, it's easy to deduce that: (xy)2−xy(t2+λP+λQ)+λPλQ=0 So, w1=xy is a zero of the second degree polynomial: p(w)=w2−w(t2+λP+λQ)+λPλQ But w1=xy<x(t+y)=λQ and p(λQ)=(r2−a2)2−(r2−a2)(t2+λP+λQ)+λPλQ=(r2−a2)2−(r2−a2)(t2+r2−d2+r2−a2)+(r2−d2)(r2−a2)=(r2−a2)2−(r2−a2)t2−(r2−d2)(r2−a2)−(r2−a2)4+(r2−d2)(r2−a2)=−t2(r2−a2)=−t2λQ<0 This implies that λQ lies (strictly) between the two (positive) zeros w1,w2 of p(w) and w1=xy is the smaller one. After using (2) and (3), inequality (1) can be rewritten as: (xy)2≤(z+tz−t)λPλQ In order to show this, it is enough to show that p(z+tz−tλPλQ)≤0 because this will imply z+tz−tλPλQ∈[w1,w2]. After some manipulations, inequality (6) can be equivalently transformed to: 4z2λPλQ≤(z2−t2)(t2+λP+λQ)2 Since z2−t2=r2−d2=λP, this is equivalent to: 4z2λQ≤(t2+λP+λQ)2 But t2=(a−c)2+h2=a2+d2−2ac,z2=t2+r2−d2=a2−2ac+r2 and t2+λP+λQ=…=2(r2−ac). Hence, (8) is equivalent with: (a2−2ac+r2)(r2−a2)≤(r2−ac)2⇔⋯⇔0≤a2(a−c)2 which is clearly true.
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