Mock AIME 1 2006-2007 Problems/Problem 14

Problem

Three points $A$ , $B$ , and $T$ are fixed such that $T$ lies on segment $AB$ , closer to point $A$ . Let $AT=m$ and $BT=n$ where $m$ and $n$ are positive integers. Construct circle $O$ with a variable radius that is tangent to $AB$ at $T$ . Let $P$ be the point such that circle $O$ is the incircle of $\triangle APB$ . Construct $M$ as the midpoint of $AB$ . Let $f(m,n)$ denote the maximum value $\tan^{2}\angle AMP$ for fixed $m$ and $n$ where $n>m$ . If $f(m,49)$ is an integer, find the sum of all possible values of $m$ .

Solution

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Please see below an attempted solution to understand why this problem doesn't have a solution:

Lemma: $\cot{B}-\cot{A}=2\cot{\angle{AMP}}$

Proof of lemma:

Construct $PH\perp{AB}$ at $H$ .

Case (i) $A<90^\circ$

$\cot{B}-\cot{A}=\dfrac{BH}{PH}-\dfrac{AH}{PH}=\dfrac{BM+MH}{PH}-\dfrac{AM-MH}{PH}=\dfrac{BM+MH-AM+MH}{PH}=\dfrac{2MH}{PH}=\cot{\angle{AMP}}$

Case (ii) $A>90^\circ$

$\cot{B}-\cot{A}=\dfrac{BH}{PH}+\dfrac{AH}{PH}=\dfrac{BM+MH}{PH}+\dfrac{MH-AM}{PH}=\dfrac{BM+MH-AM+MH}{PH}=\dfrac{2MH}{PH}=\cot{\angle{AMP}}$

Case (iii) $A=90^\circ$

$\cot{B}-\cot{A}=\dfrac{BA}{PA}-0=\dfrac{2MA}{PA}=\cot{\angle{AMP}}$ , proof done.

Now we try to find $f(m,n)$ .

Let O be the centre of the incircle, and $r$ be the inradius.

$\tan{\angle{OAB}} = \dfrac{OT}{AT} = \dfrac{r}{m}$

$\tan{\angle{PAB}} = \tan{(2\angle{OAB})} = \dfrac{2\tan{\angle{OAB}}}{1-\tan^2{\angle{OAB}}} = \dfrac{2r/m}{1-(r/m)^2} = \dfrac{2mr}{m^2-r^2}$

Similarly, $\tan{\angle{PBA}} = \dfrac{2nr}{n^2-r^2}$

Therefore, $\tan^2{\angle{AMP}} = \dfrac{1}{\cot^2{\angle{AMP}}} = \dfrac{1}{\dfrac{(\cot{\angle{PBA}}-\cot{\angle{PAB}})^2}{2^2}} = \dfrac{4}{(\cot{\angle{PBA}}-\cot{\angle{PAB}})^2} = \dfrac{4}{\Big(\dfrac{1}{\tan{\angle{PBA}}}-\dfrac{1}{\tan{\angle{PAB}}}\Big)^2} = \dfrac{4}{\Big(\dfrac{n^2-r^2}{2nr}-\dfrac{m^2-r^2}{2mr}\Big)^2} = \dfrac{16m^2n^2r^2}{[(n^2-r^2)m-(m^2-r^2)n]^2} = \dfrac{16m^2n^2r^2}{[(n-m)(r^2+mn)]^2} \le \dfrac{16m^2n^2r^2}{[(n-m)(2r\sqrt{mn})]^2} = \dfrac{4mn}{n-m}$