Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 8 / 63 of 180 #1763 of 1964

Problem 1763

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Geometry Difficulty 8.2 Prove it Preselection tests for the full-time training · Saudi Arabia

ABC\triangle ABC is a triangle with AB<BCAB < BC, C\mathcal{C} its circumcircle, KK the midpoint of the minor arc \overparenCA\overparen{CA} of the circle C\mathcal{C} and TT a point on C\mathcal{C} such that KTKT is perpendicular to BCBC. If AA', BB' are the intouch points of the incircle of ABC\triangle ABC with the sides BCBC, ACAC, prove that the lines ATAT, BKBK, ABA'B' are concurrent.

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

Let EE be the intersection point of BKBK with ATAT. The problem is equivalent to prove that points AA', EE, BB' are collinear.

First solution. Let FF be the intersection point of BCBC with KTKT. Since KK is the midpoint of CA~\widetilde{CA}, by expressing the angles in terms of arc lengths we obtain
KEA=12(\overparenKA+\overparenBT)=12(\overparenCK+\overparenBT)=CFK=90 \measuredangle KEA = \frac{1}{2}(\overparen{KA} + \overparen{BT}) = \frac{1}{2}(\overparen{CK} + \overparen{BT}) = \measuredangle CFK = 90^\circ
But BB' is an intouch point. This implies that
ABI=90=AEI, \measuredangle AB'I = 90^\circ = \measuredangle AEI,
and the points AA, II, EE, BB' are concyclic.

Figure 1

We deduce from this that
IBE=IAE=90EIA=9012BAC12CBA=12ACB. \measuredangle IB'E = \measuredangle IAE = 90^\circ - \measuredangle EIA = 90^\circ - \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle BAC - \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle CBA = \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle ACB .
On the other hand, triangle IABIA'B' is isosceles (IA=IBIA' = IB'). Therefore,
IBA=12(180AIB)=12ACB=IBE, \measuredangle IB'A' = \frac{1}{2}\left(180^\circ - \measuredangle A'I B'\right) = \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle ACB = \measuredangle IB'E,
since CAI=90\measuredangle CA'I = 90^\circ. This proves that the points AA', EE, BB' are collinear.

Second solution. We prove as in the first solution that KEA=90\measuredangle KEA = 90^\circ. Let DD be the intersection point of ATAT with BCBC. The pedal triangle of II with respect to triangle ADCADC is ABEA'B'E. Proving that points AA', BB', EE are collinear is equivalent to proving that II is on the circumcircle of triangle ADCADC and therefore, the line ABEA'B'E will be the Simson line of point II with respect to triangle ADCADC.

Figure 2

We have
CDA=DBA+BAD=CBA+9012CBA=90+12CBA. \measuredangle CDA = \measuredangle DBA + \measuredangle BAD = \measuredangle CBA + 90^\circ - \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle CBA = 90^\circ + \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle CBA .
On the other hand
CIA=18012BAC12ACB=90+12CBA=CDA. \measuredangle CIA = 180^\circ - \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle BAC - \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle ACB = 90^\circ + \frac{1}{2} \measuredangle CBA = \measuredangle CDA .
This proves that II is on the circumcircle of triangle ADCADC and thus AA', EE, BB' are collinear.

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