Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 2354

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Geometry Difficulty 8.0 Prove it Auswahlklausur · Germany

Let ABCABC be an acute-angled triangle with circumcenter OO. Furthermore, let kk be a circle with the following properties:

(1) The center KK of kk lies in the interior of the side BCBC.

(2) kk touches ABAB at B′B' and ACAC at C′C'.

(3) OO lies on the shorter of the two arcs B′C′B'C' of kk.

Prove: The circumcircle of ABCABC and kk intersect each other in two distinct points.

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:

The point O′O' is the image of OO under reflection in the line BCBC. SS is the intersection point of KO′KO' with the circumcircle uu (see figure).

By the inscribed angle theorem (central angle theorem), BOC = 2\text{BOC = 2}. Because C′C' and B′B' lie in the interior of the segments ACAC and ABAB respectively, and OO lies inside ABCABC due to the triangle being acute-angled, it follows that B’OC’ > 2\text{B'OC' > 2}. In the quadrilateral AB′KC′AB'KC' we have: 360 = 2 90 + + C’KB’\text{360 = 2 90 + + C'KB'}, since the angles at the points of tangency C′C' and B′B' are right angles. It follows that C’KB’ = 180 -\text{C'KB' = 180 -}.

Thus, in the cyclic quadrilateral B′O′C′OB'O'C'O we have:
B’OC’ = 180 - C’O’B’ = 180 - 1 2 C’KB’\text{B'OC' = 180 - C'O'B' = 180 - 1 2 C'KB'}
=12(180∘+α) = \frac{1}{2}(180^\circ + \alpha)
Thus 12(180∘+α)>2α\frac{1}{2}(180^\circ + \alpha) > 2\alpha and therefore

Figure 1

α<60∘\alpha < 60^\circ.

In the cyclic quadrilateral ABSCABSC it follows that CSB = 180 - > 120\text{CSB = 180 - > 120}.

Due to the axial symmetry about BCBC, BO′COBO'CO is a kite quadrilateral, and we have:
CO’B = BOC = 2 < 120\text{CO'B = BOC = 2 < 120}. Hence CSB > CO’B\text{CSB > CO'B}.

Since SS lies on uu, CSB\text{CSB} is an inscribed angle over the chord BCBC. From the last inequality it then follows that O′O' lies outside uu. Because the axis of reflection BCBC is a diameter of kk, O′O' lies on kk. Thus, with OO and O′O', there is one point on kk lying inside uu and one lying outside uu, respectively. The claim follows from this.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement translated into English from de; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.