Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 1146

AMC 12 late, AIME early
Geometry Difficulty 4.8 Prove it Berkeley Math Circle Monthly Contest 6 · United States

Squares ABDEA B D E, BCFGB C F G and CAHIC A H I are drawn exterior to a triangle ABCA B C. Parallelograms DBGXD B G X, FCIYF C I Y and HAEZH A E Z are completed. Prove that ∠AYB+∠BZC+∠CXA=90∘\angle A Y B + \angle B Z C + \angle C X A = 90^{\circ}.

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

Solution:

Let ρ\rho be the 90∘90^{\circ} rotation about the center of square ABDEA B D E, counterclockwise (orienting △ABC\triangle A B C to have its vertices in counterclockwise order). Note that segments CAC A and ZEZ E are congruent and perpendicular (thanks to square CAHIC A H I and parallelogram HAEZH A E Z), so ρ(C)=Z\rho(C) = Z. Likewise, segments BCB C and DXD X are congruent and perpendicular, implying ρ(X)=C\rho(X) = C. Now ρ(XC)=CZ\rho(X C) = C Z which implies ∠ZCX=90∘\angle Z C X = 90^{\circ}. Likewise ∠XAY=∠YBZ=90∘\angle X A Y = \angle Y B Z = 90^{\circ}. With three of the angles of the reentrant hexagon XAYBZCX A Y B Z C known, the sum of the other three is readily computed:

Figure 1

∠AYB+∠BZC+∠CXA=(180∘−∠BAY−YBA)+(180∘−∠CBZ−∠ZCB)+(180∘−∠ACX−∠XAC)=540∘−(∠BAY+∠XAC)−(∠CBZ+∠YBA)−(∠ACX+∠ZCB)=540∘−(∠XAY+∠BAC)−(∠YBZ+∠CBA)−(∠ZCX+∠ACB)=540∘−3⋅90∘−(∠BAC+∠CBA+∠ACB)=540∘−270∘−180∘=90∘. \begin{aligned} & \angle A Y B + \angle B Z C + \angle C X A \\ & = \left(180^{\circ} - \angle B A Y - Y B A\right) + \left(180^{\circ} - \angle C B Z - \angle Z C B\right) + \left(180^{\circ} - \angle A C X - \angle X A C\right) \\ & = 540^{\circ} - (\angle B A Y + \angle X A C) - (\angle C B Z + \angle Y B A) - (\angle A C X + \angle Z C B) \\ & = 540^{\circ} - (\angle X A Y + \angle B A C) - (\angle Y B Z + \angle C B A) - (\angle Z C X + \angle A C B) \\ & = 540^{\circ} - 3 \cdot 90^{\circ} - (\angle B A C + \angle C B A + \angle A C B) \\ & = 540^{\circ} - 270^{\circ} - 180^{\circ} = 90^{\circ}. \end{aligned}

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