Difference between revisions of "1998 USAMO Problems/Problem 2"

(Solution)
(Solution)
Line 55: Line 55:
  
 
<math>\frac{AM}{MC}=\frac{AC-MC}{MC}=\frac{AC-\frac{CD}{2}}{\frac{CD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{AC-AD}{2}}{\frac{AC-AD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{3AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{\frac{5AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{5}{3}</math>
 
<math>\frac{AM}{MC}=\frac{AC-MC}{MC}=\frac{AC-\frac{CD}{2}}{\frac{CD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{AC-AD}{2}}{\frac{AC-AD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{3AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{\frac{5AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{5}{3}</math>
 +
 +
Borrowed from https://mks.mff.cuni.cz/kalva/usa/usoln/usol982.html
  
 
== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==

Revision as of 09:46, 21 October 2014

Problem

Let ${\cal C}_1$ and ${\cal C}_2$ be concentric circles, with ${\cal C}_2$ in the interior of ${\cal C}_1$. From a point $A$ on ${\cal C}_1$ one draws the tangent $AB$ to ${\cal C}_2$ ($B\in {\cal C}_2$). Let $C$ be the second point of intersection of $AB$ and ${\cal C}_1$, and let $D$ be the midpoint of $AB$. A line passing through $A$ intersects ${\cal C}_2$ at $E$ and $F$ in such a way that the perpendicular bisectors of $DE$ and $CF$ intersect at a point $M$ on $AB$. Find, with proof, the ratio $AM/MC$.

Solution

[asy]  pair O,A,B,C,D,E,F,DEb,CFb,Fo,M; O=(0,0); A=(1.732,1); B=(0,1); C=(-1.732,1); D=(0.866,1); Fo=(-1,-0.5);  path AC,AF,DE,CF,DEbM,CFbM,C1,C2; C1=circle(O,2); C2=circle(O,1);  E=intersectionpoints(A--Fo,C2)[0]; F=intersectionpoints(A--Fo,C2)[1]; DEb=((D.x+E.x)/2.0,(D.y+E.y)/2.0); CFb=((C.x+F.x)/2.0,(C.y+F.y)/2.0); M=(-0.433,1);  path AC=A--C; path AF=A--F; path DEbM=DEb--M; path CFbM=CFb--M; path DE=D--E; path CF=C--F;  draw(AC); draw(AF); draw(DE); draw(CF); draw(DEbM); draw(CFbM); draw(C1); draw(C2);  label("\(A\)",A,NE); label("\(B\)",B,N); label("\(C\)",C,NW); label("\(D\)",D,N); label("\(E\)",E,SE); label("\(F\)",F,SW); label("\(M\)",M,N);  [/asy]

First, $AD=\frac{AB}{2}=\frac{AC}{4}$. Because $E$,$F$ and $B$ all lie on a circle, $AE \cdot AF=AB \cdot AB=\frac{AB}{2} \cdot 2AB=AD \cdot AC$. Therefore, $\triangle ACF \sim \triangle AEB$, so $\angle ACF = \angle AEB$. Thus, quadrilateral $CFED$ is cyclic, and $M$ must be the center of the circumcircle of $CFED$, which implies that $MC=\frac{CD}{2}$. Putting it all together,

$\frac{AM}{MC}=\frac{AC-MC}{MC}=\frac{AC-\frac{CD}{2}}{\frac{CD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{AC-AD}{2}}{\frac{AC-AD}{2}}=\frac{AC-\frac{3AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{\frac{5AC}{8}}{\frac{3AC}{8}}=\frac{5}{3}$

Borrowed from https://mks.mff.cuni.cz/kalva/usa/usoln/usol982.html

See Also

1998 USAMO (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 1
Followed by
Problem 3
1 2 3 4 5 6
All USAMO Problems and Solutions

The problems on this page are copyrighted by the Mathematical Association of America's American Mathematics Competitions. AMC logo.png