Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 2330

National Olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Geometry Difficulty 7.9 Prove it BxMO Team Selection Test · Netherlands

Let ABCABC be an acute triangle, and let DD be the foot of the altitude from AA. The circle with centre AA passing through DD intersects the circumcircle of triangle ABCABC in XX and YY, in such a way that the order of the points on this circumcircle is: AA, XX, BB, CC, YY. Show that ∠BXD=∠CYD\angle BXD = \angle CYD.

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.

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Official solution

Figure 1

As the radius ADAD is perpendicular to BCBC, the line BCBC is tangent to the circumcircle of △DXY\triangle DXY. By the inscribed angle theorem (tangent case), we have ∠XDB=∠XYD\angle XDB = \angle XYD. Moreover, the quadrilateral BCYXBCYX is cyclic, so ∠CBX+∠XYC=180∘\angle CBX + \angle XYC = 180^\circ. By the sum of angles in △BDX\triangle BDX, we have ∠BXD=180∘−∠DBX−∠XDB=(180∘−∠CBX)−∠XDB=∠XYC−∠XYD\angle BXD = 180^\circ - \angle DBX - \angle XDB = (180^\circ - \angle CBX) - \angle XDB = \angle XYC - \angle XYD. As ∠XYC−∠XYD=∠DYC\angle XYC - \angle XYD = \angle DYC, we obtain ∠BXD=∠DYC\angle BXD = \angle DYC. □\square

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.