Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 7.4 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

Let CC and DD be two points on the semicricle with diameter ABAB such that BB and CC are on distinct sides of the line ADAD. Denote by MM, NN and PP the midpoints of ACAC, BDBD and CDCD respectively. Let OAO_A and OBO_B the circumcentres of the triangles ACPACP and BDPBDP. Show that the lines OAOBO_AO_B and MNMN are parallel.

Solution

1. Projection Setup:
We start by projecting all the points A,M,OA,O,OB,N, A, M, O_A, O, O_B, N, and B B onto the line CD CD . Let hX h_X denote the projection of point X X onto CD CD .

2. Collinearity:
- Let O O be the midpoint of AB AB . Since O O is the center of the semicircle, it lies on the perpendicular bisector of AB AB .
- OA O_A is the circumcenter of ACP \triangle ACP , so it lies on the perpendicular bisector of CP CP .
- OB O_B is the circumcenter of BDP \triangle BDP , so it lies on the perpendicular bisector of DP DP .
- M M is the midpoint of AC AC , and N N is the midpoint of BD BD .

3. Equal Projections:
- Since O O is the midpoint of AB AB , we have AO=OB AO = OB .
- Since P P is the midpoint of CD CD , we have CP=PD CP = PD .
- Therefore, the projections of A A and B B onto CD CD are equidistant from P P , i.e., hAP=hBP h_A P = h_B P .
- Similarly, the projections of C C and D D onto CD CD are equidistant from P P , i.e., hCP=hDP h_C P = h_D P .

4. Midpoints and Projections:
- Since M M is the midpoint of AC AC , the projection hM h_M is the midpoint of hA h_A and hC h_C .
- Since N N is the midpoint of BD BD , the projection hN h_N is the midpoint of hB h_B and hD h_D .
- Therefore, hMP=hNP h_M P = h_N P .

5. Perpendicular Bisectors:
- Since OA O_A lies on the perpendicular bisector of CP CP , the projection hOA h_{O_A} is equidistant from hC h_C and hP h_P .
- Since OB O_B lies on the perpendicular bisector of DP DP , the projection hOB h_{O_B} is equidistant from hD h_D and hP h_P .
- Therefore, hOAP=hOBP h_{O_A} P = h_{O_B} P .

6. Parallel Lines:
- We need to show that the lines OAOB O_A O_B and MN MN are parallel.
- Consider the ratios of the distances:
MOAOAO=hMhOAhOAP=hNhOBhOBP=NOBOBO \frac{MO_A}{O_A O} = \frac{h_M h_{O_A}}{h_{O_A} P} = \frac{h_N h_{O_B}}{h_{O_B} P} = \frac{NO_B}{O_B O}
- Since the ratios are equal, the lines OAOB O_A O_B and MN MN are parallel by the properties of similar triangles and equal ratios.

\blacksquare

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.