GeometryDifficulty 6.7National OlympiadFind the answer
Let A1,A2,A3 be three points in the plane, and for convenience, let A4=A1,A5=A2. For n=1,2, and 3, suppose that Bn is the midpoint of AnAn+1, and suppose that Cn is the midpoint of AnBn. Suppose that AnCn+1 and BnAn+2 meet at Dn, and that AnBn+1 and CnAn+2 meet at En. Calculate the ratio of the area of triangle D1D2D3 to the area of triangle E1E2E3.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Let G be the centroid of triangle ABC, and also the intersection point of A1B2,A2B3, and A3B1. By Menelao's theorem on triangle B1A2A3 and line A1D1C2, A1A2A1B1⋅D1B1D1A3⋅C2A3C2A2=1⟺D1B1D1A3=2⋅3=6⟺A3B1D1B1=71 Since A3G=32A3B1, if A3B1=21t then GA3=14t,D1B1=721t=3t,A3D1=18t, and GD1=A3D1−A3G=18t−14t=4t, and GA3GD1=144=72 Similar results hold for the other medians, therefore D1D2D3 and A1A2A3 are homothetic with center G and ratio −72. By Menelao's theorem on triangle A1A2B2 and line C1E1A3, C1A2C1A1⋅E1A1E1B2⋅A3B2A3A2=1⟺E1A1E1B2=3⋅21=23⟺A1B2A1E1=52 If A1B2=15u, then A1G=32⋅15u=10u and GE1=A1G−A1E1=10u−52⋅15u=4u, and GA1GE1=104=52 Similar results hold for the other medians, therefore E1E2E3 and A1A2A3 are homothetic with center G and ratio 52. Then D1D2D3 and E1E2E3 are homothetic with center G and ratio −72:52=−75, and the ratio of their area is (75)2=4925.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,604 problems in a working order, from Junior Challenge level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: Omni-MATH,
licensed Apache-2.0.
Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.