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Geometry Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it Italy

Problem:

Let a triangle ABCABC be given. Denote by MM and NN the midpoints respectively of sides ACAC and BCBC. Let also SS and TT be points respectively on sides ACAC and BCBC such that:
AS=13ACBT=13BC. AS = \frac{1}{3} AC \quad BT = \frac{1}{3} BC.
Prove that the bisectors of angles AST\angle AST and BTS\angle BTS meet at a point PP of side ABAB if and only if the quadrilateral AMNBAMNB is circumscribable about a circle.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Solution:

Suppose that the bisectors of angles AST\angle AST and BTS\angle BTS meet at a point PP of side ABAB.
Since ASAC=BTBC\frac{AS}{AC} = \frac{BT}{BC}, by Thales' theorem, STST and ABAB are parallel segments, hence the angles PST\angle PST and SPA\angle SPA are equal. Now, since by hypothesis ASP=SPA\angle ASP = \angle SPA, it follows that triangle ASPASP is isosceles and therefore AS=APAS = AP. In an analogous way one derives that the segments BTBT and BPBP also have equal lengths. Recalling that:
AS=13ACBT=13BC, AS = \frac{1}{3} AC \quad BT = \frac{1}{3} BC,
one obtains:
AB=AS+BT=13(AC+BC). AB = AS + BT = \frac{1}{3}(AC + BC).

Figure 1

From the relation written above one further derives:
MA+NB=12(AC+BC)=32AB MA + NB = \frac{1}{2}(AC + BC) = \frac{3}{2} AB
On the other hand MN=AB2MN = \frac{AB}{2} and thus one obtains:
MN+AB=AM+BN MN + AB = AM + BN
a condition equivalent to saying that the quadrilateral ABNMABNM is circumscribable about a circle.

Suppose now that the quadrilateral ABNMABNM is circumscribable about a circle, hence we have:
MN+AB=AM+BN MN + AB = AM + BN
Since the condition MN=AB2MN = \frac{AB}{2} always holds it follows

Figure 2

AM+BN=3AB2AM + BN = 3 \frac{AB}{2} and therefore one derives as before:
AS+BT=AB. AS + BT = AB.
Let now P1P_1 and P2P_2 be the points of intersection with segment ABAB respectively of the bisectors of AST\angle AST and BTS\angle BTS. In a completely analogous way as before one derives AS=AP1AS = AP_1 and BT=BP2BT = BP_2. Hence AP1+P2B=ABAP_1 + P_2B = AB and therefore necessarily P1=P2P_1 = P_2.

Solution 2

Solution:

Suppose that the bisectors of angles AST\angle AST and BTS\angle BTS meet at a point PP of side ABAB.
Since ASAC=BTBC\frac{AS}{AC} = \frac{BT}{BC}, by Thales' theorem, STST and ABAB are parallel segments, hence the angles PS^TP\widehat{S}T and SP^AS\widehat{P}A are equal. Now, since by hypothesis AS^P=SP^AA\widehat{S}P = S\widehat{P}A, it follows that triangle ASPASP is isosceles and therefore AS=APAS = AP. In an analogous way one derives that the segments BTBT and BPBP also have equal lengths. Recalling that:
AS=13ACBT=13BC, AS = \frac{1}{3} AC \quad BT = \frac{1}{3} BC,
one obtains:
AB=AS+BT=13(AC+BC). AB = AS + BT = \frac{1}{3}(AC + BC).

Figure 1

From the relation written above one further derives:
MA+NB=12(AC+BC)=32AB MA + NB = \frac{1}{2}(AC + BC) = \frac{3}{2} AB
On the other hand MN=AB2MN = \frac{AB}{2} and thus one obtains:
MN+AB=AM+BN MN + AB = AM + BN
a condition equivalent to saying that the quadrilateral ABNMABNM is circumscribable about a circle.

Figure 1

Suppose now that the quadrilateral ABNMABNM is circumscribable about a circle, hence we have:
MN+AB=AM+BN MN + AB = AM + BN
Since the condition MN=AB2MN = \frac{AB}{2} always holds it follows
Figure 2
AM+BN=3AB2AM + BN = 3 \frac{AB}{2} and therefore one derives as before:
AS+BT=AB. AS + BT = AB.
Let now P1P_1 and P2P_2 be the points of intersection with segment ABAB respectively of the bisectors of AST\angle AST and BTS\angle BTS. In a completely analogous way as before one derives AS=AP1AS = AP_1 and BT=BP2BT = BP_2. Hence AP1+P2B=ABAP_1 + P_2B = AB and therefore necessarily P1=P2P_1 = P_2.

Figure 2

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