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Geometry Difficulty 7.8 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

Let ABCABC be a triangle and let ω\omega be its circumcircle. Let B\ell_{B} and C\ell_{C} be two parallel lines passing through points BB and CC, respectively. We denote by DD the intersection point, other than BB, between ω\omega and the line B\ell_{B}. Similarly, we denote by EE the intersection point, other than CC, between ω\omega and the line C\ell_{C}.
We assume that the lines C\ell_{C} and (AD)(A D) intersect at a point FF, and that the lines B\ell_{B} and (AE)(A E) intersect at a point GG. We then denote by O,O1O, O_{1}, and O2O_{2} the centers of the circumcircles of triangles ABCABC, ADGADG, and AEFAEF, respectively. Finally, we denote by PP the center of the circumcircle of triangle OO1O2OO_{1}O_{2}.
Prove that the line (OP)(OP) is parallel to both lines B\ell_{B} and C\ell_{C}.

Solution

Let's start by drawing a figure, taking care to highlight the triangle OO1O2O O_{1} O_{2}, since PP is the center of the circumcircle of this triangle. We also note ω1,ω2\omega_{1}, \omega_{2}, and ω\omega^{\prime} as the circumcircles of ADGA D G, AEFA E F, and OO1O2O O_{1} O_{2}, respectively.
!

We immediately notice that the points A,O1A, O_{1}, and O2O_{2} seem to be collinear, so we quickly set out to prove this. Indeed, the lines (DG)(D G) and (EF)(E F) are parallel to each other. Thales' theorem then indicates that there is a homothety hh, centered at AA, which maps the triangle ADGA D G to the triangle AFEA F E. We deduce that O2=h(O1)O_{2}=h\left(O_{1}\right), and therefore that the points AA, O1O_{1}, and O2O_{2} are indeed collinear.
To prove that (OP)(O P) is parallel to B\ell_{B} and C\ell_{C}, we will now calculate the angle between the lines (OP,B)\left(O P, \ell_{B}\right). To do this, we start by getting rid of the point PP by invoking the tangent at OO to ω\omega^{\prime}: if we denote this tangent by tt, then

(OP,B)=(OP,t)+(t,OO2)+(OO2,B)=90+(O1O,O1O2)+(OO2,B)=90+(O1O,O1A)+(OO2,B). \begin{aligned} \left(O P, \ell_{B}\right) & =(O P, t)+\left(t, O O_{2}\right)+\left(O O_{2}, \ell_{B}\right) \\ & =90^{\circ}+\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} O_{2}\right)+\left(O O_{2}, \ell_{B}\right) \\ & =90^{\circ}+\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} A\right)+\left(O O_{2}, \ell_{B}\right) . \end{aligned}

Since (AD)(A D) is the radical axis of the circles ω1\omega_{1} and ω\omega^{\prime}, the lines (AD)(A D) and (OO1)\left(O O_{1}\right) are perpendicular to each other. Similarly, (AE)(A E) and (OO2)\left(O O_{2}\right) are perpendicular. We deduce that

(OP,B)=90+(O1O,O1A)+(OO2,B)=90+(O1O,AD)+(AD,O1A)+(OO2,AE)+(AE,B)=90+90+(AD,O1A)+90+(AE,B)=90+(AD,O1A)+(AE,B) \begin{aligned} \left(O P, \ell_{B}\right) & =90^{\circ}+\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} A\right)+\left(O O_{2}, \ell_{B}\right) \\ & =90^{\circ}+\left(O_{1} O, A D\right)+\left(A D, O_{1} A\right)+\left(O O_{2}, A E\right)+\left(A E, \ell_{B}\right) \\ & =90^{\circ}+90^{\circ}+\left(A D, O_{1} A\right)+90^{\circ}+\left(A E, \ell_{B}\right) \\ & =90^{\circ}+\left(A D, O_{1} A\right)+\left(A E, \ell_{B}\right) \end{aligned}

By doing so, we have already eliminated the points P,OP, O, and O2O_{2}, suggesting that we are on the right track. Our next victim will be the point O1O_{1}. Indeed, if we denote by A1A_{1} the symmetric point of AA with respect to O1O_{1}, then [AA1]\left[A A_{1}\right] is a diameter of ω1\omega_{1}, so

(AD,O1A)=(AD,AA1)=(AD,DA1)+(DA1,AA1)=90+(DG,AG)=90+(BD,AE) \left(A D, O_{1} A\right)=\left(A D, A A_{1}\right)=\left(A D, D A_{1}\right)+\left(D A_{1}, A A_{1}\right)=90^{\circ}+(D G, A G)=90^{\circ}+(B D, A E)

But then we have already won, since

(OP,B)=90+(AD,O1A)+(AE,B)=90+90+(BD,AE)+(AE,B)=(BD,B), \left(O P, \ell_{B}\right)=90^{\circ}+\left(A D, O_{1} A\right)+\left(A E, \ell_{B}\right)=90^{\circ}+90^{\circ}+(B D, A E)+\left(A E, \ell_{B}\right)=\left(B D, \ell_{B}\right),

which concludes the proof.
 Alternative Solution n1\underline{\text { Alternative Solution } n^{\circ} 1} We reuse the names of the points and circles introduced in the previous solution.
Since the lines B\ell_{B} and C\ell_{C} are parallel, and since A,B,C,DA, B, C, D, and EE are concyclic, we know that (GA,GD)=(EA,EF)(G A, G D)=(E A, E F) and, similarly, (FE,FA)=(DG,DA)(F E, F A)=(D G, D A). The triangles AEFA E F and AGDA G D are therefore similar. Consequently, the triangles FO2AF O_{2} A and DO1AD O_{1} A are also similar, so (AF,AO2)=(AD,AO1)\left(A F, A O_{2}\right)=\left(A D, A O_{1}\right), and therefore the points O1O_{1}, AA, and O2O_{2} are collinear.
Next, since the line (AD)(A D) is the radical axis of the circles ω\omega and ω1\omega_{1}, it is perpendicular to (OO1)\left(O O_{1}\right). We deduce, from the theorem of the angle at the center, and by denoting A1A_{1} the symmetric point of AA with respect to O1O_{1}, that

(O1O2,O1O)=(AA1,AD)+(AD,OO1)=(AA1,DA1)+(DA1,AD)+90=(AG,DG)+90+90=(GA,GD). \begin{aligned} \left(O_{1} O_{2}, O_{1} O\right) & =\left(A A_{1}, A D\right)+\left(A D, O O_{1}\right)=\left(A A_{1}, D A_{1}\right)+\left(D A_{1}, A D\right)+90^{\circ} \\ & =(A G, D G)+90^{\circ}+90^{\circ}=(G A, G D) . \end{aligned}

We show similarly that (O2O,O2O1)=(FE,FA)=(DG,DA)\left(O_{2} O, O_{2} O_{1}\right)=(F E, F A)=(D G, D A). The triangles OO1O2O O_{1} O_{2} and AGDA G D are therefore indirectly similar.
But then the triangles OO1PO O_{1} P and AGO1A G O_{1} are also indirectly similar. We conclude that

(OP,O1O2)=(GD,AO1)=(GD,O1O2), \left(O P, O_{1} O_{2}\right)=\left(G D, A O_{1}\right)=\left(G D, O_{1} O_{2}\right),

which means that (OP)(O P) is parallel to the line (GD)=B(G D)=\ell_{B}, and therefore to C\ell_{C} as well.

Remark: If one decides to use directed angles, it is important to never divide angles by two, for example, to use the theorem of the angle at the center or when encountering an isosceles triangle or an angle bisector. Indeed, here is an example of a horror that could result if one does not take this precaution:
«Since the line (OO1)\left(O O_{1}\right) is the angle bisector of AO1D^\widehat{A O_{1} D}, we know that (O1O,O1A)=(O1D,O1A)/2\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} A\right)=\left(O_{1} D, O_{1} A\right) / 2. Since AO1DA O_{1} D is isosceles at O1O_{1}, we deduce that

(AD,AO1)=((DO1,DA)+(AD,AO1))/2=(DO1,AO1)/2=(O1O,O1A) \left(A D, A O_{1}\right)=\left(\left(D O_{1}, D A\right)+\left(A D, A O_{1}\right)\right) / 2=\left(D O_{1}, A O_{1}\right) / 2=\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} A\right)

But this equality is of course completely false, since we actually have (AD,AO1)=(O1O,O1A)+90\left(A D, A O_{1}\right)=\left(O_{1} O, O_{1} A\right)+90^{\circ}. Oops!»
The reason why the above reasoning is false is that directed angles are angles modulo 180180^{\circ}. Consequently, if we divide a directed angle by two, we get a relation that is only valid modulo 9090^{\circ}. We will therefore avoid, at all costs, if we decide to use directed angles, dividing angles by two.

Comment from the graders: The problem was solved by a small number of people. However, many students managed to make significant progress in the problem, trying to prove what they could conjecture from their figure, which is an excellent approach. Simple observations, such as the fact that the lines (OO1)\left(O O_{1}\right) and (AD)(A D) are perpendicular, were actually valuable for solving the problem and were thus rewarded. Do not hesitate to write down all your ideas, even seemingly trivial observations.

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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.