Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 8 / 98 of 180 #1798 of 1964

Problem 1798

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Geometry Difficulty 8.3 Prove it China National Team Selection Test · China

For acute triangle ABCABC with AB>ACAB > AC, let MM be the midpoint of side BCBC and PP a point inside AMC\triangle AMC such that MAB=PAC\angle MAB = \angle PAC. Let OO, O1O_1 and O2O_2 be the circumcenters of ABC\triangle ABC, ABP\triangle ABP and ACP\triangle ACP respectively. Prove that line AOAO bisects segment O1O2O_1O_2. (Posed by Xiong Bin)

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

Official solution

As shown in Fig. 1, draw the circumcircles of ABC\triangle ABC, ABP\triangle ABP and ACP\triangle ACP, respectively. Let the extension of APAP meet O\odot O at DD, join BDBD, and draw the line tangent to O\odot O at AA, intersecting O1\odot O_1 and O2\odot O_2 at EE and FF respectively.

It is clear that AMCABD\triangle AMC \sim \triangle ABD, hence
ABBD=AMMC. \frac{AB}{BD} = \frac{AM}{MC}.
Since EABPDB\triangle EAB \sim \triangle PDB, we have ABBD=AEPD\frac{AB}{BD} = \frac{AE}{PD}.
Consequently, AMMC=AEPD\frac{AM}{MC} = \frac{AE}{PD}, i.e.
AE=AM×PDMC, AE = \frac{AM \times PD}{MC},
and, similarly,
AF=AM×PDMB. AF = \frac{AM \times PD}{MB}.
Figure 1
Fig. 1

It follows that
AE=AF. AE = AF. \qquad ①

Draw the perpendicular lines O1EAEO_1E' \perp AE with foot EE', and O2FAFO_2F' \perp AF with foot FF'. Since EE', FF' are the midpoints of AEAE, AFAF respectively, it follows from ① that AA is the midpoint of EFE'F'.
In the right-angled trapezoid O1EFO2O_1E'F'O_2, AOAO is the extension of the median, and hence it bisects the segment O1O2O_1O_2.

Solution 2:

As shown in Fig. 2, draw segments AO1AO_1, OO1OO_1, AO2AO_2, OO2OO_2. Denote by QQ the intersection of AOAO and O1O2O_1O_2. Then
Figure 2
Fig. 2
O1QQO2=SOO1SOO2=AB×OO1AC×OO2, \frac{O_1Q}{QO_2} = \frac{S_{\triangle OO_1}}{S_{\triangle OO_2}} = \frac{AB \times OO_1}{AC \times OO_2},
where ABAC=sinACBsinABC\frac{AB}{AC} = \frac{\sin\angle ACB}{\sin\angle ABC}.
Since OO1Q=BAP=CAM\angle OO_1Q = \angle BAP = \angle CAM, and OO2Q=CAP=BAM\angle OO_2Q = \angle CAP = \angle BAM, it follows that
OO1OO2=OO1OQ×OQOO2=sinOQO1sinOO1Q×sinOO2QsinOQO2=sinOO2QsinOO1Q=sinBAMsinCAM, \begin{aligned} \frac{OO_1}{OO_2} &= \frac{OO_1}{OQ} \times \frac{OQ}{OO_2} \\ &= \frac{\sin\angle OQO_1}{\sin\angle OO_1Q} \times \frac{\sin\angle OO_2Q}{\sin\angle OQO_2} \\ &= \frac{\sin\angle OO_2Q}{\sin\angle OO_1Q} = \frac{\sin\angle BAM}{\sin\angle CAM}, \end{aligned}
and thus
O1QQO2=sinACMsinCAM×sinBAMsinABM=AMCM×BMAM=BMCM. \frac{O_1Q}{QO_2} = \frac{\sin\angle ACM}{\sin\angle CAM} \times \frac{\sin\angle BAM}{\sin\angle ABM} = \frac{AM}{CM} \times \frac{BM}{AM} = \frac{BM}{CM}.
Note that MM is the midpoint of BCBC, and therefore O1Q=QO2O_1Q = QO_2, i.e. line AOAO bisects segment O1O2O_1O_2.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.