Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 198 of 300 #1598 of 2000

Problem 1598

National olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Geometry Difficulty 7.4 Prove it IMO HK TST · Hong Kong

In triangle ABCABC, the altitude, angle bisector and median from CC divide the angle C\angle C into four equal angles. Find B\angle B.

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

B\angle B can be 22.522.5^\circ or 67.567.5^\circ.

WLOG assume AC<BCAC < BC. Let DD be the foot of altitude from CC, let EE be the foot of internal angle bisector from CC, and let FF be the midpoint of ABAB. Let PP be the projection of EE on BCBC, and let DPDP meet ACAC at QQ.

Firstly, since ACD=ECD\angle ACD = \angle ECD and CDAECD \perp AE, we have ACDECD\triangle ACD \cong \triangle ECD. Secondly, note that C,D,E,PC, D, E, P are concyclic since
CDE+CPE=90+90=180. \angle CDE + \angle CPE = 90^\circ + 90^\circ = 180^\circ.

CPQ=CPD=CED=CAD=CAB. \angle CPQ = \angle CPD = \angle CED = \angle CAD = \angle CAB.

Figure 1

Together with the common angle at CC, we know that CPQCAB\triangle CPQ \sim \triangle CAB (and DD lies between PP and QQ). As DCQ=FCB\angle DCQ = \angle FCB, the points DD and FF are corresponding points under this similarity. Thus, DD is the midpoint of PQPQ. Now, since DD is also the midpoint of AEAE, the quadrilateral AQEPAQEP is a parallelogram. This implies CQ//PECQ // PE, and hence ACB=90\angle ACB = 90^\circ. Then we have
ABC=FCB=904=22.5. \angle ABC = \angle FCB = \frac{90^\circ}{4} = 22.5^\circ.
If AC>BCAC > BC, then the roles of AA and BB are swapped, and hence ABC=67.5\angle ABC = 67.5^\circ.

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