Sunday Online Class (Bashing)

June 28, 2020

1. Let ABC be a triangle with ∠BAC = 60◦ . Let AP bisect ∠BAC and let BQ bisect
∠ABC, with P on BC and Q on AC. If AB + BP = AQ + QB, what are the angles of
the triangle?
Solution: Applying sine rule in 4ABP and 4ABQ we get

BP AB AQ BQ AB
◦
= ◦
and = ◦
= .
sin 30 sin(30 + 2x) sin x sin 60 sin(60◦ + x)

Using these relations, we can replace BP, AQ, and QB in the given condition AB +BP =
AQ + QB and hence obtain

sin 30◦ sin x + sin 60◦

1+ = . (1)
sin(30◦ + 2x) sin(60◦ + x)
◦ ◦
sin x + sin 60◦ 2 sin x+60
2
cos x−60
2
Note that ◦
= x+60◦ x+60◦ . Hence equation (1) can be written as
sin(60 + x) 2 sin 2 cos 2
◦
sin 30◦ cos x−60
2
= ◦ − 1
sin(30◦ + 2x) cos x+60
2

◦ ◦
Now cos x−60
2
− cos x+60
2
= 2 sin x2 sin 30◦ , so the above equation can be written as

1 2 sin x2
= ◦ .
sin(30◦ + 2x) cos x+60
2

Now just cross multiply and apple product to sum formula to get
   
 x
◦ x ◦ ◦ 3x ◦ 5x
cos 30 + = 2 sin sin(30 + 2x) = cos 30 + − cos 30 + .
2 2 2 2

Since 30◦ + 3x
2
is the average of A = 30◦ +and B = 30◦ + 5x
x
2 2
, we are (almost) done!
cos A + cos B = cos A+B =⇒ cos A+B 2 cos A−B


2 2 2
− 1 = 0. In this problem we get
cos 30◦ + 2 (2 cos x − 1) = 0. Hence either 3x/2 = 60◦ or x = 60◦ . Here x = 60◦ is
3x

not possible, hence we must have x = 40◦ . Thus, ∠B = 80◦ and ∠C = 40◦ .

1
2. Let ABC be a right-angle triangle with ∠B = 90◦ . Let D be a point on AC such that
the inradii of the triangles ABD and CBD are equal. If this common value is r0 and if r
is the inradius of triangle ABC, prove that 1/r0 = 1/r + 1/BD.
Solution: Note that AE and CF meet at I. Applying similarity we get

r0 AP QC AP + QC
= = = (1)
r AX XC AC

Let s1 , s2 , s be the semi-perimeters of triangles ABD, BDC and ABC. Then AP =

s1 − BD and QC = s2 − BD. Also, s1 + s2 = s + BD. Hence equation (1) gives

r0 s1 + s2 − 2BD s − BD
= = . (2)
r AC b
Now, apply the formula that inradius = area/perimeter. For r0 we have

[ABD] [BDC] [ABC] rs

r0 = = = = (3)
s1 s2 s1 + s2 s + BD

Using (2) and (3), we compare r0 /r and hence get

s − BD s
= =⇒ BD2 = s(s − b). (4)
b s + BD

r BD BD r
Now equation (3) gives 0
=1+ . Thus it is enough to show that = , i.e.,
r s s BD
BD2 = rs.
Since r = s − b for a right triangle, the conclusion follows from equation (4).

2
3. In an acute triangle ABC, let O, G, H be its circumcentre, centroid and orthocentre,
respectively. Let D ∈ BC, E ∈ CA such that OD ⊥ BC, HE ⊥ CA. Let F be the
midpoint of AB. If the triangles ODC, HEA, GF B have the same area, find all the
possible values of ∠C.
Solution: Consider the following figure.

Observe that,
1 1 a 1 1
[ODC] = OD · DC = R cos A · = R cos A · R sin A = R2 sin A cos A (1)
2 2 2 2 2
1 1
[HEA] = HE · EA = c cos A cot C · c cos A = 2R2 sin C cos C cos2 A (2)
2 2
1 1 1
[GF B] = [ABC] = 2R2 sin A sin B sin C = R2 sin A sin B sin C. (3)
6 6 3

Equating (1) and (2), we get tan A = 4 sin C cos C. Next, equating (1) and (3), we get
3 cos A = 2 sin B sin C = 2 sin(A + C) sin C = 2(sin A cos C + sin C cos A) sin C.
We write it as 3 cos A = 2 sin C cos A(tan A cos C + sin C) and cancel out cos A and
replace tan A by 4 sin C cos C to get an equation that involves only C :

3 = 2 sin C(4 sin C cos2 C + sin C) = 2 sin2 C(4 cos2 C + 1).

Let t = sin2 C and the last equation becomes

3 = 2t(1 + 4(1 − t)) =⇒ (4t − 3)(2t − 1) = 0.

√ √
Therefore t = sin2 C equals 3/4 or 1/2. Hence sin C = 3/2 or 1/ 2. Hence ∠C = 60◦
or 45◦ . For ∠C = 60◦ , the given condition is satisfied by an equilateral triangle. For
∠C = 45◦ , check that the conditions are also satisfiable (check that the equalities hold for
some values of A and B).

3
4. Suppose that a > b > c > d are positive integers such that

ac + bd = (b + d + a − c)(b + d − a + c).

Prove that ab + cd can not be a prime.

Solution: The given equation can be transformed as ac + bd = (b + d)2 − (a − c)2 , i.e.,

a2 + c2 − ac = b2 + d2 + bd (1)

We think of it as a2 + c2 − 2ac cos 60◦ = b2 + d2 − 2bd cos 120◦ , which allows us to draw
the following figure: (with AC 2 = a2 + c2 − ac = b2 + d2 + bd.)

Let ∠BAD = θ and hence ∠BCD = 180◦ − θ. Now applying cosine rule,

BD2 = a2 + d2 − 2ad cos θ = b2 + c2 + 2bc cos θ. (2)

a2 + d 2 − b 2 − c 2
From here we find the value of cos θ, which is this: 2 cos θ = . Substitute
ad + bc
this back in (2) to get

2 2 a2 + d2 − b2 − c2
2 bc(a2 + d2 ) + ad(b2 + c2 ) (ac + bd)(ab + cd)
BD = a +d −ad = =
ad + bc ad + bc ad + bc

Now we combine this with (ab + cd)2 = AC 2 · BD2 (Ptolemy’s theorem) and arrive at

(ab + cd)(ad + bc) = (a2 + c2 − ac)(ac + bd). (3)

Don’t forget what was our goal: we need to show that ab + cd is not a prime. Also, we
have not yet used the condition a > b > c > d. Using this, we get (ab + cd) − (ac +
bd) = (a − d)(b − c) > 0 and (ac + bd) − (ad + bc) = (a − b)(c − d) > 0. Therefore,
ab + cd > ac + bd > ad + bc. Let, if possible, ab + cd be a prime. Then ab + cd > ac + bd
implies that ab + cd and ac + bd are coprime. Hence equation (3) yields ac + bd | ad + bc,
which is not possible, because ad + bc < ac + bd. Thus we get a contradiction if ab + cd
is a prime.

4
 Extended Ptolemy’s theorem. In a cyclic quadrilateral ABCD with AB = a, BC =
b, CD = c, DA = d we have

(ad + bc) (ab + cd)

AC 2 = (ac + bd) and BD2 = (ac + bd) .
(ab + cd) (ad + bc)

Some problems as homework

1. Let ABC be a triangle with ∠A = 90◦ . Points D and E lie on sides AC and AB,
respectively, such that ∠ABD = ∠DBC and ∠ACE = ∠ECB. Segments BD and CE
meet at I. Determine whether or not it is possible for segments AB, AC, BI, ID, CI,
IE to all have integer lengths.
2. In 4ABC, all the angles are greater than 30◦ . Suppose that P is the centre of a circle that
cuts the sides BC, CA, AB at T, Q, K, L, M, N respectively. If the triangles P QK, P M L
and P N T are all equilateral, show that
2abc
(a) the radius of the circle is given by a2 +b2 +c 2 +4S 3 where S is the area of 4ABC and
√

a, b, c are the side lengths (as usual),

(b) a · P A = b · P B = c · P C.

3. Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral in which ∠BAC = 50◦ , ∠CAD = 60◦ and ∠BDC =
25◦ . If E is the point of intersection of AC and BD, find ∠AEB.
√ √ √
4. For a, b, c > 0, prove the inequality a2 − ab + b2 + b2 − bc + c2 ≥ a2 + ac + c2 .
Furthermore, show that equality holds if and only if 1/b = 1/a + 1/c.
5. In a cyclic quadrilateral ABCD, AB = a, BC = b, CD = c, ∠ABC = 120◦ and
√ √ √
∠ABD = 30◦ . Prove that, (i) c ≥ a + b, and (ii) | c + a − c + b| = c − a − b.
6. Let A1 A2 . . . An be a convex polygon, n ≥ 4. Prove that A1 A2 . . . An is cyclic if and only
if to each vertex Aj one can assign a pair (bj , cj ) of real numbers, j = 1, 2, . . . , n, so that
Ai Aj = bj ci − bi cj for all i, j with 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n.
7. Let ABC be a triangle with AB = AC. The angle bisectors of ∠CAB and ∠ABC meet
the sides BC and CA at D and E, respectively. Let K be the incentre of triangle ADC.
Suppose that ∠BEK = 45◦ . Find all possible values of ∠CAB.
8. Let ABC be an acute angled triangle. Let D, E, F be points on BC, CA, AB such that
AD is the median, BE is the internal bisector and CF is the altitude. Suppose that
∠F DE = ∠C, ∠DEF = ∠A and ∠EF D = ∠B. Show that ABC is equilateral.
9. Let D, E, F be points on the sides BC, CA, AB respectively of a triangle ABC such that
BD = CE = AF and ∠BDF = ∠CED = ∠AF E. Show that 4ABC is equilateral.