Find The Angle

Geometry Level 4

In acute A B C \triangle ABC with A B < A C , AB<AC, the tangent to the circumcircle passing through C C meets line A B AB at S . S. Let P P be a point in the interior of A B C \triangle ABC such that S C = S P . SC= SP. Lines B P , A P BP, AP meet the circumcircle at points X , Z X, Z respectively. Suppose that P S Z = 6 0 . \angle PSZ= 60^{\circ}. Find S Z X \angle SZX in degrees.

Details and assumptions
- The diagram shown is not accurate, so don't rely on it for non-trivial observations.
- This problem is inspired by IMOSL 2010 G2 .


The answer is 120.

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2 solutions

Image link: http://s24.postimg.org/lmsclb6ut/Untitled.png Image link: http://s24.postimg.org/lmsclb6ut/Untitled.png

Let B C BC meet S P SP and X Z XZ at points M M and N N respectively. Note that S P 2 = S C 2 = S A × S B SP^2= SC^2= SA \times SB by Power of a Point, so S P SP is tangent to the circumcircle of A B P . \triangle ABP. It follows that M P B = B A P . \angle MPB = \angle BAP. Also, being angles in the same segment, B A P = B X Z . \angle BAP= \angle BXZ. Therefore triangles B M P \triangle BMP and B X N \triangle BXN are similar, which gives B M P = M N X . \angle BMP = \angle MNX. This implies X Z S P , XZ \parallel SP, so S Z X = 18 0 P S Z = 12 0 . \angle SZX = 180^{\circ} - \angle PSZ= \boxed{120^{\circ}}.

Note: The condition A B < A C AB<AC makes the configuration similar to the diagram we used. If we had A B > A C , AB > AC, S S would be on the other side of P . P. If we had A B = A C , AB= AC, the tangent through C C would be parallel to A B AB and S S would be at infinity.

Hi Sreejato, may I know how M P B = B A P \angle MPB = \angle BAP ? Thx. =)

Jagatheesan Jack - 7 years, 1 month ago

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I have shown that S P SP is tangent to the circumcircle of A B P . \triangle ABP. The result I used next is a well known fact. To prove this, define O O to be the circumcenter of A B P . \triangle ABP. Simple angle chasing gives that O B P = 9 0 B A P . \angle OBP = 90^{\circ} - \angle BAP. But again, since O P S P , OP \perp SP, O B P = 9 0 B P S . \angle OBP = 90^{\circ} - \angle BPS. Combining these together gives that B A P = M P B . \angle BAP = \angle MPB.

Sreejato Bhattacharya - 7 years, 1 month ago

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Thx a lot. That was helpful. =)

Jagatheesan Jack - 7 years, 1 month ago
Nguyen Thanh Long
Apr 18, 2014

M=BC x PS, S C 2 = S P 2 = S B × S A S B S P = S P S A SC^{2}=SP^{2}=SB \times SA \Rightarrow \frac{SB}{SP}=\frac{SP}{SA} S B P \Rightarrow \triangle{SBP} is isoforms with S A P \triangle{SAP} B A P = B P S \Rightarrow \angle{BAP}=\angle{BPS} B X Z = B P S S P X Z \Rightarrow \angle{BXZ}=\angle{BPS} \Rightarrow SP \| XZ A Z X = 6 0 o \Rightarrow \angle{AZX}=60^{o} S Z X = S Z A + 6 0 o = 12 0 o \Rightarrow \angle{SZX}=\angle{SZA}+60^{o}=\boxed{120^{o}}

What is " isoforms with " ??

Niranjan Khanderia - 7 years, 1 month ago

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He means S B P \triangle SBP and S A P \triangle SAP are similar.

Sreejato Bhattacharya - 7 years, 1 month ago

SP is parallel to SZ? Don't you mean SP is parallel to XZ?

Bonnie Claudnic - 7 years, 1 month ago

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