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Geometry Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it

Given two parabolas L1L_{1} and L2L_{2} with parallel axes of symmetry, they intersect at two points A0A_{0} and B0B_{0}. On L1L_{1}, take 2n2 n points A1,A2,,A2nA_{1}, A_{2}, \cdots, A_{2 n}, and on L2L_{2}, take 2n2 n points B1,B2,,B2nB_{1}, B_{2}, \cdots, B_{2 n} such that A0A1//B0B1,A1A2//B1B2,,A2n1A2n//B2n1B2nA_{0} A_{1} / / B_{0} B_{1}, A_{1} A_{2} / / B_{1} B_{2}, \cdots, A_{2 n-1} A_{2 n} / / B_{2 n-1} B_{2 n}. Prove: A2nB0//B2nA0A_{2 n} B_{0} / / B_{2 n} A_{0}.

Solution

L1:y=p1x2+q1x+r1,L2:y=p2x2+q2x+r2, \begin{array}{l} L_{1}: y=p_{1} x^{2}+q_{1} x+r_{1}, \\ L_{2}: y=p_{2} x^{2}+q_{2} x+r_{2}, \end{array}

where p1,p20p_{1}, p_{2} \neq 0. Suppose the x-coordinates of AiA_{i} and BiB_{i} are aia_{i} and bi(i=0,1,2,,2n)b_{i} (i=0,1,2, \cdots, 2 n), respectively, then the slope of the line AiAjA_{i} A_{j} is
(p1aj2+q1aj+r1)(p1ai2+q1ai+r1)ajai=p1(aj2ai2)+q1(ajai)ajai=p1(aj+ai)+q1.(i=0,1,2,,2n1,j=i+1) \begin{array}{l} \frac{\left(p_{1} a_{j}^{2}+q_{1} a_{j}+r_{1}\right)-\left(p_{1} a_{i}^{2}+q_{1} a_{i}+r_{1}\right)}{a_{j}-a_{i}} \\ =\frac{p_{1}\left(a_{j}^{2}-a_{i}^{2}\right)+q_{1}\left(a_{j}-a_{i}\right)}{a_{j}-a_{i}} \\ =p_{1}\left(a_{j}+a_{i}\right)+q_{1} . \\ (i=0,1,2, \cdots, 2 n-1, j=i+1) \end{array}

Similarly, the slope of the line BiBjB_{i} B_{j} is
p2(bj+bi)+q2(i=0,1,2,,2n1,j=i+ p_{2}\left(b_{j}+b_{i}\right)+q_{2}(i=0,1,2, \cdots, 2 n-1, j=i+
1)1).
Thus, from the given conditions, we have
p1(a1+a0)+q1=p2(b1+b0)+q2,p1(a2+a1)+q1=p2(b2+b1)+q2,p1(a3+a2)+q1=p2(b3+b1)+q2,p1(a4+a3)+q1=p2(b4+b3)+q2,.p1(a2n1+a2n2)+q1=p2(b2n1+b2n2)+q2,p1(a2n+a2n1)+q1=p2(b2n+b2n1)+q2. \begin{array}{l} p_{1}\left(a_{1}+a_{0}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{1}+b_{0}\right)+q_{2}, \\ p_{1}\left(a_{2}+a_{1}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{2}+b_{1}\right)+q_{2}, \\ p_{1}\left(a_{3}+a_{2}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{3}+b_{1}\right)+q_{2}, \\ p_{1}\left(a_{4}+a_{3}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{4}+b_{3}\right)+q_{2}, \\ \cdots \ldots . \\ p_{1}\left(a_{2 n-1}+a_{2 n-2}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{2 n-1}+b_{2 n-2}\right)+q_{2}, \\ \\ p_{1}\left(a_{2 n}+a_{2 n-1}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{2 n}+b_{2 n-1}\right)+q_{2} . \end{array}

Since A0,B0A_{0}, B_{0} are points on the first parabola L1L_{1}, the slope of A0B0A_{0} B_{0} is p1(b0+a0)+q1p_{1}\left(b_{0}+a_{0}\right)+q_{1}. At the same time, A0,B0A_{0}, B_{0} are also points on the second parabola, so the slope of A0B0A_{0} B_{0} is p2(b0+a0)+q2p_{2}\left(b_{0}+a_{0}\right)+q_{2}. Therefore,
p1(b0+a0)+q1=p2(b0+a0)+q2. p_{1}\left(b_{0}+a_{0}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{0}+a_{0}\right)+q_{2} .

Multiplying (1), (3), ..., (2n-1) by -1 and adding them to (2), (4), ..., (2n) and (*), we get
p1(b0+a2n)+q1=p2(b2n+a0)+q2 p_{1}\left(b_{0}+a_{2 n}\right)+q_{1}=p_{2}\left(b_{2 n}+a_{0}\right)+q_{2} \text{. }

This means A2nB0B2nA0A_{2 n} B_{0} \parallel B_{2 n} A_{0}.

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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.