Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /21 of 22

Geometry Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Belarus

The squares AA1DEAA_1DE and AA1FGAA_1FG are constructed on the bisector AA1AA_1 of the non-isosceles triangle ABCABC such that the points BB and FF lie in different half-planes with respect to the line AA1AA_1.
Prove that the lines BDBD, CFCF and EGEG are concurrent.

Solution

Denote the points of intersection of the line EGEG with the lines BDBD and CFCF by
Figure 1
P1P_1 and P2P_2, respectively. We will prove that P1P2P_1 \equiv P_2. Denote the points of intersection of the lines ABAB and ACAC with the line DFDF by C1C_1 and B1B_1, respectively. The segment AA1AA_1 is the altitude and the bisector in the triangle AB1C1AB_1C_1, hence AB1C1\triangle AB_1C_1 is isosceles with the base B1C1B_1C_1 and A1B1=A1C1A_1B_1 = A_1C_1. Without loss of generality, suppose that AA1B>AA1C\angle AA_1B > \angle AA_1C. If A1B1AA1A_1B_1 \le AA_1, the lines BDBD and CFCF intersect the ray AEAE, and if A1B1>AA1A_1B_1 > AA_1, these lines intersect the ray AGAG. Therefore, it is enough to prove the equality AP1=AP2AP_1 = AP_2.

Suppose that A1B1AA1A_1B_1 \le AA_1 (the case A1B1>AA1A_1B_1 > AA_1 can be considered similarly). Then B1F=A1FA1B1=A1DA1C1=DC1B_1F = A_1F - A_1B_1 = A_1D - A_1C_1 = DC_1. From DFEGDF \parallel EG follow the similarities BC1DBAP1\triangle BC_1D \sim \triangle BAP_1 and CB1FCAP2\triangle CB_1F \sim \triangle CAP_2, whence
AP1=ABDC1BC1andAP2=ACB1FCB1. AP_1 = \frac{AB \cdot DC_1}{BC_1} \quad \text{and} \quad AP_2 = \frac{AC \cdot B_1F}{CB_1}.

Therefore, it is enough to prove that AB/BC1=AC/CB1AB/BC_1 = AC/CB_1. Let C2C_2 be the reflection of CC through the line AA1AA_1. Since AB1C1\triangle AB_1C_1 is isosceles, the point C2C_2 lies on the segment AC1AC_1. From the equalities C2A1C1=CA1B1=C1A1B\angle C_2A_1C_1 = \angle CA_1B_1 = \angle C_1A_1B it follows that the line A1C1A_1C_1 is the bisector in the triangle A1BC2A_1BC_2. Finally,
CB1BC1=C1C2BC1=A1C2A1B=A1CA1B=ACAB. \frac{CB_1}{BC_1} = \frac{C_1C_2}{BC_1} = \frac{A_1C_2}{A_1B} = \frac{A_1C}{A_1B} = \frac{AC}{AB}.

Looking for a route rather than an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.