Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 133 of 400 #1133 of 1964

Problem 1133

National olympiad, first round
Geometry Difficulty 6.1 Prove it

Let ABCABC be a triangle and let Ω\Omega be its circumcircle. Show that the intersection point of the perpendicular bisector of the segment [BC][BC] and the external bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} lies on the circle Ω\Omega.

The external bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} is the perpendicular to the bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} passing through AA.

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

Without loss of generality, we can assume that ACABAC \geq AB. We denote NN as the intersection point of the external bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} with Ω\Omega and SS as the intersection point of the internal bisector with Ω\Omega. We place a point DD on the ray [AB)[AB) that does not belong to the segment [AB][AB]. Since (AN)(AN) is the perpendicular to (AS)(AS) passing through AA, we have NAC^=90CAS^=9012BAC^\widehat{NAC} = 90^{\circ} - \widehat{CAS} = 90^{\circ} - \frac{1}{2} \widehat{BAC} and NAD^=18090SAB^=9012BAC^\widehat{NAD} = 180^{\circ} - 90^{\circ} - \widehat{SAB} = 90^{\circ} - \frac{1}{2} \widehat{BAC}. Therefore, NAD^=NAC^\widehat{NAD} = \widehat{NAC}, so (AN)(AN) is the bisector of the angle CAD^\widehat{CAD}.

By the inscribed angle theorem, we have NAC^=NBC^\widehat{NAC} = \widehat{NBC}. On the other hand, NCB^=180BAN^=NAD^\widehat{NCB} = 180^{\circ} - \widehat{BAN} = \widehat{NAD}. Since NAD^=NAC^\widehat{NAD} = \widehat{NAC}, we find that NBC^=NCB^\widehat{NBC} = \widehat{NCB}, so the triangle BNCBNC is isosceles. Therefore, the point NN is equidistant from the points BB and CC, so NN lies on the perpendicular bisector of the segment BCBC. Thus, the intersection point of the perpendicular bisector of the segment [BC][BC] and the external bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} is actually NN, which we defined as belonging to the circumcircle of triangle ABCABC.

Therefore, the intersection point of the perpendicular bisector of the segment [BC][BC] and the external bisector of the angle BAC^\widehat{BAC} indeed lies on the circumcircle of triangle ABCABC.

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