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    Zhao Prelude PDF

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    Yash Hriddha
    This document summarizes a solution to problem 3 from the 2008 APMO exam. The problem asks to prove that two lines meet at the circumcircle of a triangle, without using the given condition that one of the figures formed is cyclic. The solution uses Pascal's theorem applied to two cyclic hexagons to show the lines are collinear and must intersect on the circumcircle. The author notes this solution did not need to use the given cyclic condition, and asks if there was a way to have known this beforehand without explicitly using that condition.

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    Zhao Prelude PDF

    Uploaded by

    Yash Hriddha
    25 views1 page
    This document summarizes a solution to problem 3 from the 2008 APMO exam. The problem asks to prove that two lines meet at the circumcircle of a triangle, without using the given condition that one of the figures formed is cyclic. The solution uses Pascal's theorem applied to two cyclic hexagons to show the lines are collinear and must intersect on the circumcircle. The author notes this solution did not need to use the given cyclic condition, and asks if there was a way to have known this beforehand without explicitly using that condition.

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    This document summarizes a solution to problem 3 from the 2008 APMO exam. The problem asks to prove that two lines meet at the circumcircle of a triangle, without using the given condition that one of the figures formed is cyclic. The solution uses Pascal's theorem applied to two cyclic hexagons to show the lines are collinear and must intersect on the circumcircle. The author notes this solution did not need to use the given cyclic condition, and asks if there was a way to have known this beforehand without explicitly using that condition.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    25 views1 page

    Zhao Prelude PDF

    Uploaded by

    Yash Hriddha
    This document summarizes a solution to problem 3 from the 2008 APMO exam. The problem asks to prove that two lines meet at the circumcircle of a triangle, without using the given condition that one of the figures formed is cyclic. The solution uses Pascal's theorem applied to two cyclic hexagons to show the lines are collinear and must intersect on the circumcircle. The author notes this solution did not need to use the given cyclic condition, and asks if there was a way to have known this beforehand without explicitly using that condition.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 1

    IMO Training 2008 Yufei Zhao

    Prelude: An Unnecessary Circle

    Surely you all remember the following problem from the APMO:

    (APMO 2008/3) Let Γ be the circumcircle of a triangle ABC. A circle passing through
    points A and C meets the sides BC and BA at D and E, respectively. The lines AD and
    CE meet Γ again at G and H, respectively. The tangent lines of Γ at A and C meet the
    line DE at L and M , respectively. Prove that the lines LH and M G meet at Γ.

    B
    G
    M

    D
    H E

    A C

    The following solution was submitted by Chen Sun, presented below with slight modifications.

    Solution. Let lines ED and AC meet at K.1 Let line BK meet the Γ for the second time at X (if BK
    is tangent to Γ, then take X = B. Applying Pascal’s theorem to the cyclic hexagon XHCAAB we see
    that lines XH and AA (i.e. tangent to Γ at A) must meet on line KE, and so the intersection point
    is L. So L, H, X are collinear. Similarly, applying Pascal’s theorem to XGACCB shows that M, G, X
    are collinear. Therefore LH and M G meet at X, which is on Γ.

    B
    G
    X M

    D
    H E

    K
    A C

    That’s it? Well, quite amazing isn’t it?


    While you’re stunned by the simplicity of the solution, take closer look. Where was the condition that
    ACDE is cyclic ever used?! . . . Huh? What’s going on?
    Well, maybe the constraint was extraneous2 . Was there some way that we could have “known” that
    we didn’t need the cyclic condition? Can you think of way that we could have “guessed” this fact?

    1
    What happens if the two lines don’t meet? Well, let’s not worry about that for now by pretending that we’re working
    in a projective setting (hint hint).
    2
    IMO 2003/4 anyone?

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