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Geometry Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Estonia

The bisector of the internal angle at the vertex BB of a triangle ABCABC intersects the circumcircle of the triangle ABCABC at a point PP (PBP \neq B). The line through PP perpendicular to the line ACAC intersects the circumcircle of the triangle ABCABC at a point PP' (PPP' \neq P). Prove that the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' is a square if and only if ABC=90\angle ABC = 90^\circ.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

As ABC=APC\angle ABC = \angle AP'C (see figure), it suffices to show that the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' is a square if and only if APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ.

Since ABP=CBP\angle ABP = \angle CBP, we have AP=CPAP = CP. Thus PPPP' is the perpendicular bisector of the side ACAC. Hence the line PPPP' passes through the circumcentre of the triangle ABCABC, i.e., the chord PPPP' is a diameter. By Thales' theorem, PAP=PCP=90\angle PAP' = \angle PCP' = 90^\circ.

If APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ then also APC=18090=90\angle APC = 180^\circ - 90^\circ = 90^\circ. Thus the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' is a rectangle and, by equality of adjacent sides APAP and CPCP, a square. On the other hand, if APCPAPCP' is a square then obviously APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ. This completes the proof.

Figure 1

Solution 2

Since ABC=APC\angle ABC = \angle AP'C, it suffices to show that the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' is a square if and only if APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ.

As ABP=CBP\angle ABP = \angle CBP, we have AP=CPAP = CP. Thus PPPP' bisects the line segment ACAC.

If APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ then, by Thales' theorem, ACAC is the diameter of the circumcircle of the triangle ABCABC. Thus the chord PPPP' bisecting ACAC passes through the circumcentre of the triangle ABCABC, implying that ACAC bisects the chord PPPP'. As PPACPP' \perp AC, the diagonals of the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' are perpendicular and bisect each other. Hence the quadrilateral APCPAPCP' is a rhombus and, because of APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ, a square. On the other hand, if APCPAPCP' is a square then obviously APC=90\angle AP'C = 90^\circ. This completes the proof.

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