Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /859 of 860

Geometry Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Find the answer

Let Γ1\Gamma_{1} and Γ2\Gamma_{2} be two circles externally tangent to each other at NN that are both internally tangent to Γ\Gamma at points UU and VV, respectively. A common external tangent of Γ1\Gamma_{1} and Γ2\Gamma_{2} is tangent to Γ1\Gamma_{1} and Γ2\Gamma_{2} at PP and QQ, respectively, and intersects Γ\Gamma at points XX and YY. Let MM be the midpoint of the arc XY^\widehat{XY} that does not contain UU and VV. Let ZZ be on Γ\Gamma such MZNZMZ \perp NZ, and suppose the circumcircles of QVZQVZ and PUZPUZ intersect at TZT \neq Z. Find, with proof, the value of TU+TVTU+TV, in terms of R,r1,R, r_{1}, and r2r_{2}, the radii of Γ,Γ1,\Gamma, \Gamma_{1}, and Γ2\Gamma_{2}, respectively.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

By Archimedes lemma, we have M,Q,VM, Q, V are collinear and M,P,UM, P, U are collinear as well. Note that inversion at MM with radius MXMX shows that PQUVPQUV is cyclic. Thus, we have MPMU=MQMVMP \cdot MU=MQ \cdot MV, so MM lies on the radical axis of (PUZ)(PUZ) and (QVZ)(QVZ), thus TT must lie on the line MZMZ. Thus, we have MZMT=MQMV=MN2MZ \cdot MT=MQ \cdot MV=MN^{2}, which implies triangles MZNMZN and MNTMNT are similar. Thus, we have NTMNNT \perp MN. However, since the line through O1O_{1} and O2O_{2} passes through NN and is perpendicular to MNMN, we have TT lies on line O1O2O_{1}O_{2}. Additionally, since MZMT=MN2=MX2MZ \cdot MT=MN^{2}=MX^{2}, inversion at MM with radius MXMX swaps ZZ and TT, and since (MXY)(MXY) maps to line XYXY, this means TT also lies on XYXY. Therefore, TT is the intersection of PQPQ and O1O2O_{1}O_{2}, and thus by Monge's Theorem, we must have TT lies on UVUV. Now, to finish, we will consider triangle OUVOUV. Since O1O2TO_{1}O_{2}T is a line that cuts this triangle, by Menelaus, we have OO1O1UUTVTVO2O2O=1\frac{OO_{1}}{O_{1}U} \cdot \frac{UT}{VT} \cdot \frac{VO_{2}}{O_{2}O}=1. Using the values of the radii, this simplifies to Rr1r1UTVTr2Rr2=1UTVT=r1(Rr2)r2(Rr1)\frac{R-r_{1}}{r_{1}} \cdot \frac{UT}{VT} \cdot \frac{r_{2}}{R-r_{2}}=1 \Longrightarrow \frac{UT}{VT}=\frac{r_{1}\left(R-r_{2}\right)}{r_{2}\left(R-r_{1}\right)}. Now, note that TUTV=TPTQ=4r12r22(r1r2)2TU \cdot TV=TP \cdot TQ=\frac{4r_{1}^{2}r_{2}^{2}}{\left(r_{1}-r_{2}\right)^{2}}. Now, let TU=r1(Rr2)kTU=r_{1}\left(R-r_{2}\right)k and TU=r2(Rr1)kTU=r_{2}\left(R-r_{1}\right)k. Plugging this into the above equation gives r1r2(Rr1)(Rr2)k2=4(r1r2)2(r1r2)2r_{1}r_{2}\left(R-r_{1}\right)\left(R-r_{2}\right)k^{2}=\frac{4\left(r_{1}r_{2}\right)^{2}}{\left(r_{1}-r_{2}\right)^{2}}. Solving gives k=2r1r2r1r2(Rr1)(Rr2)k=\frac{2\sqrt{r_{1}r_{2}}}{\left|r_{1}-r_{2}\right|\sqrt{\left(R-r_{1}\right)\left(R-r_{2}\right)}}. To finish, note that TU+TV=k(Rr1+Rr22r1r2)=2(Rr1+Rr22r1r2)r1r2r1r2(Rr1)(Rr2)TU+TV=k\left(Rr_{1}+Rr_{2}-2r_{1}r_{2}\right)=\frac{2\left(Rr_{1}+Rr_{2}-2r_{1}r_{2}\right)\sqrt{r_{1}r_{2}}}{\left|r_{1}-r_{2}\right|\sqrt{\left(R-r_{1}\right)\left(R-r_{2}\right)}}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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