Olympiad Maths Prep

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Problem 1946

IMO P2/P5; hard shortlist
Geometry Difficulty 9.2 Prove it Baltic Way 2023 Shortlist · Baltic Way · 2023

In an acute triangle ABC\triangle ABC with ABAC|AB| \neq |AC|, the perpendicular bisectors of sides ACAC and ABAB intersect segment BCBC at points DD and EE, respectively. The tangents to (ABC)\odot(ABC) at the points BB and CC intersect (ABD)\odot(ABD) and (ACE)\odot(ACE) at points YY and ZZ, respectively. Suppose that lines YDYD and ZEZE intersect at point XX. Define points UU and VV to be the intersections of (DEX)\odot(DEX) and the lines ADAD and AEAE, respectively. Prove that the lines UV,BCUV, BC and XAXA 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 OO be the circumcentre of (ABC)\odot(ABC). We proceed in several steps.

Step 1: Point OO lies on (ABD)\odot(ABD) and (ACE)\odot(ACE).
*Proof.* Note that since AD=DC|AD| = |DC|, we have CDA=1802ACB\angle CDA = 180^\circ - 2\angle ACB, therefore ADB=2ACB=AOB\angle ADB = 2\angle ACB = \angle AOB, which means that quadrilateral AODBAODB is cyclic. Similarly, we can prove that quadrilateral AOECAOEC is cyclic. \square

Step 2: Points YY, AA, ZZ are collinear. Moreover, YZYZ is tangent to (ABC)\odot(ABC) at point AA.
*Proof.* Note that since YBYB is tangent to (ABC)\odot(ABC), we have that:
AOY=YBA=ACB. \angle AOY = \angle YBA = \angle ACB.
Since AOB=2ACB\angle AOB = 2\angle ACB, we get that:
YAB=YOB=AOBAOY=ACB. \angle YAB = \angle YOB = \angle AOB - \angle AOY = \angle ACB.
This means that YAYA is tangent to (ABC)\odot(ABC). Consequently, YA=YB|YA| = |YB| implies that YY lies on the perpendicular bisector of ABAB. Similarly, we can prove that AZAZ is tangent to (ABC)\odot(ABC) and ZZ lies on the perpendicular bisector of ACAC. Since the tangent line at a fixed point is unique, we conclude that points YY, AA, ZZ all lie on the tangent to (ABC)\odot(ABC) at the point AA. \square

Step 3: Points YY, OO, EE and ZZ, OO, DD are collinear. Moreover, OO is the orthocentre of YZX\triangle YZX.
*Proof.* The first part follows from the previous result that YY lies on the perpendicular bisector of ABAB, which is OEOE. A similar argument applies to ZZ, OO, DD.
Since the radius of a circle is perpendicular to the corresponding tangent, note that:
OBY=ODY=YAO=90andOCZ=OEZ=90. \angle OBY = \angle ODY = \angle YAO = 90^\circ \quad \text{and} \quad \angle OCZ = \angle OEZ = 90^\circ.
This gives us that ZDYXZD \perp YX and YEZXYE \perp ZX, implying that OO is the orthocentre of YZX\triangle YZX. Also note that this immediately gives us that points AA, OO, XX are collinear, too. \square

To finish the problem, note that quadrilateral YDEZYDEZ is cyclic from YDZ=YEZ=90\angle YDZ = \angle YEZ = 90^\circ. Therefore:
DAO=DYO=OZE=OAE. \angle DAO = \angle DYO = \angle OZE = \angle OAE.

Since OXOX is the diameter of (DEX)\odot(DEX) (note that ODX=OEX=90\angle ODX = \angle OEX = 90^\circ) and OXOX is the bisector of DAE\angle DAE, by symmetry we have that DVDV and UEUE are parallel lines. It is well-known that the diagonals of an isosceles trapezoid intersect on the perpendicular bisector of their parallel sides. Therefore, lines UVUV, DEDE, AXAX are concurrent, as desired.

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