Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 7 / 82 of 300 #1482 of 2000

Problem 1482

National olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Geometry Difficulty 7.1 Prove it

Let AA and BB are two points on a plane, and let MM be the midpoint of ABAB. Let rr be a line and let RR and SS be the projections of AA and BB onto rr. Assuming that AA, MM, and RR are not collinear, prove that the circumcircle of triangle AMRAMR has the same radius as the circumcircle of BSMBSM.

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

1. Identify the given points and their relationships:
- Let AA and BB be two points on a plane.
- Let MM be the midpoint of ABAB.
- Let rr be a line, and let RR and SS be the projections of AA and BB onto rr, respectively.

2. Understand the projections:
- The projections RR and SS are such that ARrAR \perp r and BSrBS \perp r.

3. **Circumcircle of AMR\triangle AMR:**
- We need to show that the circumcircle of AMR\triangle AMR has the same radius as the circumcircle of BSM\triangle BSM.

4. **Consider the circumcircle of AMR\triangle AMR:**
- Let (AMR)(AMR) denote the circumcircle of AMR\triangle AMR.
- Let O1O_1 be the center of (AMR)(AMR) and R1R_1 be its radius.

5. **Consider the circumcircle of BSM\triangle BSM:**
- Let (BSM)(BSM) denote the circumcircle of BSM\triangle BSM.
- Let O2O_2 be the center of (BSM)(BSM) and R2R_2 be its radius.

6. **Use the fact that MM is the midpoint of ABAB:**
- Since MM is the midpoint of ABAB, we have AM=MBAM = MB.

7. Analyze the angles:
- Let (RSM)(RSM) meet RSRS at RR and PP.
- We have SPM=RAM=180SBM\angle SPM = \angle RAM = 180^\circ - \angle SBM.
- This implies that SPMBSPMB is cyclic.

8. Use the property of cyclic quadrilaterals:
- Since SPMBSPMB is cyclic, PMA=PMB=90\angle PMA = \angle PMB = 90^\circ.
- This means that PP is on the perpendicular bisector of ABAB.

9. **Conclude that PA=PBPA = PB:**
- Since PP is on the perpendicular bisector of ABAB, we have PA=PBPA = PB.

10. Equal radii of the circumcircles:
- Since PA=PBPA = PB, the circles (AMR)(AMR) and (BSM)(BSM) have equal diameters.
- Therefore, the radii of the circumcircles (AMR)(AMR) and (BSM)(BSM) are equal.

R1=R2 \boxed{R_1 = R_2}

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