Triangle △ABC has AB=21,BC=55, and CA=56. There are two points P in the plane of △ABC for which ∠BAP=∠CAP and ∠BPC=90∘. Find the distance between them.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Let P1 and P2 be the two possible points P, with AP1<AP2. Both lie on the ∠A-bisector and the circle γ with diameter BC. Let D be the point where the ∠A-bisector intersects BC, let M be the midpoint of BC, and let X be the foot of the perpendicular from M onto the ∠A-bisector. Since we know the radius of γ, to compute P1P2 it suffices to compute MX. By the angle bisector theorem we find BD=15 and DC=40, so Stewart's theorem gives 15⋅40⋅55+55⋅AD2=212⋅40+562⋅15⟹AD=24. Then cos∠ADB=2⋅15⋅24−212+152+242=21, so ∠ADB=∠MDX=60∘. Since DM=BM−BD=255−15=225, we get MX=DMsin∠MDX=4253. Hence P1P2=2(255)2−(4253)2=25409.
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