Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 131 of 300 #1531 of 1964

Problem 1531

National olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Geometry Difficulty 7.2 Prove it

Let ABCABC be an acute, non-isosceles triangle with circumcircle (O)(O). BE,CFBE, CF are the heights of ABC\triangle ABC, and BE,CFBE, CF intersect at HH. Let MM be the midpoint of AHAH, and KK be the point on EFEF such that HKEFHK \perp EF. A line not going through AA and parallel to BCBC intersects the minor arc ABAB and ACAC of (O)(O) at PP, QQ, respectively.

Show that the tangent line of (CQE)(CQE) at EE, the tangent line of (BPF)(BPF) at FF, and MKMK concur.

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

1. Define the problem setup and key points:
- Let ABCABC be an acute, non-isosceles triangle with circumcircle (O)(O).
- BEBE and CFCF are the altitudes of ABC\triangle ABC, intersecting at HH.
- MM is the midpoint of AHAH.
- KK is the point on EFEF such that HKEFHK \perp EF.
- A line parallel to BCBC intersects the minor arcs ABAB and ACAC of (O)(O) at PP and QQ, respectively.

2. Identify the tangents and radical axes:
- Let F\ell_F and E\ell_E be the radical axes of (ABC)(ABC) with points FF and EE, respectively.
- PBF=RPB \cap \ell_F = R is on the tangent to (BPF)(BPF) at FF.
- QCE=SQC \cap \ell_E = S is on the tangent to (CQE)(CQE) at EE.

3. **Show that FRESMKFR \cap ES \in MK:**
- Identify other points on F\ell_F and E\ell_E:
- If the tangents to (BFEC)(BFEC) at FF and EE intersect BCBC at XX and YY, then XFX \in \ell_F and YEY \in \ell_E.
- If the perpendicular bisectors of BFBF and CECE intersect the tangents to (ABC)(ABC) at BB and CC at UU and VV, then UFU \in \ell_F and VEV \in \ell_E.
- By angle chasing, AFE=ACB    U,VEF    U,F,K,E,V\angle AFE = \angle ACB \implies U, V \in EF \implies U, F, K, E, V are collinear.
- X,F,MX, F, M are collinear since XFXF \perp the line through FF and the midpoint of BCBC, and MFMF is also perpendicular to this line (MM is the circumcenter of AEF\triangle AEF).

4. Use the Ratio Lemma:
- If R=FRMKR' = FR \cap MK, then by the Ratio Lemma on FMK\triangle FMK and FUX\triangle FUX:
MRRK=FMFKXRUR÷XFUF \frac{MR'}{R'K} = \frac{FM}{FK} \cdot \frac{XR}{UR} \div \frac{XF}{UF}
- Similarly, for S=ESMKS' = ES \cap MK:
MSSK=EMEKYSVS÷EYEV \frac{MS'}{S'K} = \frac{EM}{EK} \cdot \frac{YS}{VS} \div \frac{EY}{EV}

5. Relate angles and apply the Ratio Lemma:
- Note that UBR=VCS\angle UBR = \angle VCS and XBR=YCS\angle XBR = \angle YCS.
- By the Ratio Lemma on BXU\triangle BXU and CYV\triangle CYV:
XRUR÷YSVS=BXBU÷CYCV \frac{XR}{UR} \div \frac{YS}{VS} = \frac{BX}{BU} \div \frac{CY}{CV}
- Substituting this in, we get:
FMFKBXBUUFXF=EMEKCYCVVEYE \frac{FM}{FK} \cdot \frac{BX}{BU} \cdot \frac{UF}{XF} = \frac{EM}{EK} \cdot \frac{CY}{CV} \cdot \frac{VE}{YE}

6. Simplify using properties of the triangle:
- Since UB=UFUB = UF, VC=VEVC = VE, and FM=EMFM = EM, this simplifies to:
EKFK=CYEYFXBX \frac{EK}{FK} = \frac{CY}{EY} \cdot \frac{FX}{BX}
- By the Law of Sines on CYE\triangle CYE and BXF\triangle BXF, the RHS equals:
tanCtanB=dist(C,AH)dist(B,AH)=EKFK \frac{\tan \angle C}{\tan \angle B} = \frac{dist(C, AH)}{dist(B, AH)} = \frac{EK}{FK}
- This confirms the desired result.

\blacksquare

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