Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 290 of 300 #2170 of 2444

Problem 2170

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.

Next problem →

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=180DBXXDB=(180CBX)XDB=XYCXYD\angle BXD = 180^\circ - \angle DBX - \angle XDB = (180^\circ - \angle CBX) - \angle XDB = \angle XYC - \angle XYD. As XYCXYD=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.