Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 8 / 138 of 180 #1838 of 2000

Problem 1838

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Geometry Difficulty 8.6 Prove it China Team Selection Test · China

Let OO be the circumcenter of triangle ABCABC. HAH_A is the projection of AA onto BCBC. The extension of AOAO intersects the circumcircle of BOCBOC at AA'. The projections of AA' onto ABAB, ACAC are DD, EE, and OAO_A is the circumcenter of triangle DHAEDH_AE. Define HB,OB,HC,OCH_B, O_B, H_C, O_C similarly.
Prove: HAOAH_AO_A, HBOBH_BO_B, HCOCH_CO_C are concurrent.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, read the official solution, then mark yourself honestly — the ladder only means something if the record is true.

Official solution

Let TT be the symmetry point of AA with regard to BCBC, FF be the projection of AA' onto BCBC, MM be the projection of TT onto ACAC.
Since AC=CTAC = CT, we have TCM=2TAM\angle TCM = 2\angle TAM. Since
TAM=π2ACB=OAB, we have \angle TAM = \frac{\pi}{2} - \angle ACB = \angle OAB, \text{ we have}
TCM=2OAB=AOB=ACF, and \angle TCM = 2\angle OAB = \angle A'OB = \angle A'CF, \text{ and}
TCHA=ACF+ACT=TCM+ACT=ACE. \angle TCH_A = \angle A'CF + \angle A'CT = \angle TCM + \angle A'CT = \angle A'CE.
Because CHAT,CMT,CEA,CFA\angle CH_A T, \angle CMT, \angle CEA', \angle CFA' are right angles, therefore
CHACM=CHACTCTCM=cosTCHAcosTCM=cosACEcosACF=CECACACF=CECF, \frac{CH_A}{CM} = \frac{CH_A}{CT} \cdot \frac{CT}{CM} = \frac{\cos \angle TCH_A}{\cos \angle TCM} = \frac{\cos \angle A'CE}{\cos \angle A'CF} = \frac{CE}{CA'} \cdot \frac{CA'}{CF} = \frac{CE}{CF},
i.e. CHACF=CMCECH_A \cdot CF = CM \cdot CE, so HA,F,M,EH_A, F, M, E are on the same circle ω1\omega_1.

Figure 1

Similarly, let NN be the projection of TT onto ABAB, then HA,F,N,DH_A, F, N, D are on the same circle ω2\omega_2. Since AFHATA'FH_A T and AEMTA'EMT are both right trapezoids, the perpendicular bisector of the segments HAFH_AF and EMEM meet at the midpoint KK of the segment ATA'T, i.e. KK is the center of circle ω1\omega_1, KFKF is the radius of circle ω1\omega_1. Similarly, KK and KFKF are also the center and the radius of circle ω2\omega_2, respectively. Thus, ω1\omega_1 and ω2\omega_2 are the same, D,N,F,HA,E,MD, N, F, H_A, E, M are on the same circle. So OAO_A is the midpoint KK of ATA'T, OAHAAAO_AH_A \parallel AA'.

Since HCAO+AHCHB=π2ACB+ACB=π2\angle H_CAO + \angle AH_CH_B = \frac{\pi}{2} - \angle ACB + \angle ACB = \frac{\pi}{2}, we have AAHBHCAA' \perp H_BH_C, thus OAHAHBHCO_AH_A \perp H_BH_C, therefore OAHA,OBHB,OCHCO_AH_A, O_BH_B, O_CH_C all pass through the orthocenter of HAHBHC\triangle H_AH_BH_C.

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