Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 141 of 400 #1141 of 1964

Problem 1141

National olympiad, first round
Geometry Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

4. In ABC\triangle A B C, J\odot J is any circle passing through points BB and CC, intersecting sides ACA C and ABA B at points EE and FF, respectively. Point XX is such that FXB\triangle F X B is similar to EJC\triangle E J C (vertices correspondingly arranged), and points XX and CC are on the same side of line ABA B. Similarly, point YY is such that EYC\triangle E Y C is similar to FJB\triangle F J B (vertices correspondingly arranged), and points YY and BB are on the same side of line ACA C. Prove: Line XYX Y passes through the orthocenter of ABC\triangle A B C.

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

4. As shown in Figure 10, let HH be the orthocenter of ABC\triangle ABC, PP be the intersection of BEBE and CFCF, and PHPH intersect the perpendicular bisector of BCBC at point ZZ.
By HBP=ABHABP=90BACABP=90BEC=JBCBH and BJ are isogonal lines of PBC. \begin{array}{l} \text{By } \angle HBP = \angle ABH - \angle ABP \\ = 90^{\circ} - \angle BAC - \angle ABP \\ = 90^{\circ} - \angle BEC = \angle JBC \\ \Rightarrow BH \text{ and } BJ \text{ are isogonal lines of } \angle PBC. \end{array}

Similarly, CHCH and CJCJ are isogonal lines of PCB\angle PCB.
Thus, HH and JJ are a pair of isogonal conjugates of BPC\triangle BPC.
Therefore, HBP=JPC\angle HBP = \angle JPC.
Since ZB=ZCZB = ZC, JF=JEJF = JE, and PFEPBC\triangle PFE \sim \triangle PBC,
then PFE{J}PBC{Z}\triangle PFE \cup \{J\} \sim \triangle PBC \cup \{Z\}
JEFZCB\Rightarrow \triangle JEF \sim \triangle ZCB.
Let BHBH intersect ACAC at point BB', and CHCH intersect ABAB at point CC'. Then
P(BE)H=HBHB=HCHC=P(CF)H,P(BE)P=PBPE=PCPF=P(CF)P, \begin{array}{l} P_{(BE)}^{H} = -HB \cdot HB' = -HC \cdot HC' = P_{(CF)}^{H}, \\ P_{(BE)}^{P} = -PB \cdot PE = -PC \cdot PF = P_{(CF)}^{P}, \end{array}

where P(BE)HP_{(BE)}^{H} represents the power of point HH with respect to the circle with diameter BEBE.

Thus, point ZZ lies on line HPHP, which is the radical axis of the circles with diameters BEBE and CFCF.
Similarly, points XX and YY also lie on line HPHP.
Therefore, XYXY passes through the orthocenter of ABC\triangle ABC.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.