When Does This Point Not Exist?

Geometry Level 5

Let A B C \triangle ABC be an acute angles triangle with B A C = 8 0 . \angle BAC = 80^{\circ}. Let M M be the midpoint of B C , BC, and let O O be the circumcenter of A B C . \triangle ABC. Suppose there exists no point X X in the plane of A B C \triangle ABC which satisfies the following conditions.

  • X O , X A X \neq O, X \neq A
  • B A X = C A M \angle BAX = \angle CAM
  • A X O = 9 0 \angle AXO = 90^{\circ}

Let A B C = N . \angle ABC = N^{\circ}. Find N 2 . \dfrac{N}{2}.

Details and assumptions
- The diagram shows the point X , X, which shouldn't exist.
- The first condition means X X must be different from O O and A . A.


The answer is 25.

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4 solutions

Jayant Kumar
Jul 7, 2014

First draw a circle with centre O, Now since ABC is acute angled, therefore distance between BC & A is greater than R, so draw a mildly visible diameter, then draw BC in one of the semicircles, parallel to this diameter, till here no generality is lost... Now pick any point as A on the other semicircle & draw a circle C2 with A & O as diameter it will be intersected by AB at P & by AC at Q..., since Angle AOX = 90, X shall lie on this circle..., now drop a perpendicular from O to BC, let i intercept BC at M, now M will be the midpoint join A to M..., now if angle CAM > 40, X will lie inside triangle AMC and if angle CAM <40, then X will lie inside triangle AMB but arc PQ is available in both AMC & AMB, therefore X was possible!! Then the only case left, is to make CAM = 40, now our X must lie on the diameter AO of C2, which is not allowed as the angle wont be 90, but as CAM = 40, it is now the angle bisector aswell as the median, so our triangle ABC is isoceles..., BAC = 80, ABC = 50, N/2 = 25...,

It only seems hard otherwise it is an very easy problem

Ronak Agarwal - 6 years, 11 months ago
Daniel Liu
Jul 8, 2014

If the answer is 5 0 50^{\circ} , then how does one explain this?

Imgur Imgur

Clearly the X X shown in the diagram fits all conditions.

I edited the problem to state "X has to be in the triangle." @Sreejato Bhattacharya is that okay?

P.S the statement X A X\ne A is not needed. Also, the fact that the triangle is acute is also not needed.

Wait that's not supposed to happen. The line joining A A and O O becomes the symmedian when A B = A C . AB=AC. Perhaps you might want to check your diagram?

And no. For the circle with diameter A O AO and the A A - symmedian to intersect, we need A B C \triangle ABC to be acute (ok I'm not completely sure about this; but it's better to be on the safe side). I have a proof that they must intersect when A B C \triangle ABC is not isoceles and acute, I can post it if necessary.

Sreejato Bhattacharya - 6 years, 11 months ago

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On Geogebra, I drew two lines intersecting at 8 0 80^{\circ} . Then I put two points on the two lines to create triangle A B C ABC . I drew the circumcircle and drew its center, and drew the midpoint. Then, I drew two more lines through A A such that any point on these lines satisfy B A X = C A M \angle BAX = \angle CAM . Finally, I drew the circle with diameter A O AO . Any time one of the lines through A A intersect this circle with diameter A O AO , the intersection point is a point X X . No matter how I moved B B and C C , even making the triangle obtuse, there existed an X X . Maybe you should try it out yourself on Geogebra?

Daniel Liu - 6 years, 11 months ago

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But according to the question, X X shouldn't exist.

Sreejato Bhattacharya - 6 years, 11 months ago

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@Sreejato Bhattacharya However, no matter where we put B B or C C , the Geogebra application showed that there always exists an X X .

Daniel Liu - 6 years, 11 months ago

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@Daniel Liu You need to put B B and C C in such a way that A B = A C . AB=AC. To do this, simply draw a circle centered at A A and see where it intersects the lines. It is pretty obvious that X X doesn't exist when A B = A C , AB=AC, because then the symmedian (set of X X satisfying B A X = C A M \angle BAX = \angle CAM ) is also the median, and it passes through A A and O O and hence can't intersect with the circle with diameter A O AO at any other point.

Sreejato Bhattacharya - 6 years, 11 months ago
Fatrick Chao
Jul 22, 2014

We would like to construct X, ignoring the first condition, where it cannot equal A or O. Draw circle with diameter AO, ω \omega . If A X O = 90 \angle AXO=90 , then X must lie on ω \omega . Furthermore, if B A X = C A M \angle BAX = \angle CAM then X must lie on the symmedian of A. Denote X can equal O when O lies on the symmedian of A. This restricts X to a single point. If X is to not exist, then X must coincide with O. Since O is the intersection of the perpendicular bisectors, O lies on the perpendicular bisector of BC. Also, O lies on the symmedian of A in this case. I shall now prove that M' must be M in this situation. Denote M A M \angle MAM' as γ \gamma . From basic angle chasing, we find that A M B = A M B = 90 γ 2 \angle AMB = \angle AM'B = 90 - \frac{\gamma} {2} , meaning that M is M'. Thus the midpoint of BC lies on the angle bisector of A, meaning ABC is isoceles with A B = A C AB= AC . Thus A B C = 50 \angle ABC = 50 and N 2 = 25 \boxed{ \frac{N} {2} =25} .

Suppose that X X exists, we will follow through these steps.

1.) From B A X = C A M \angle BAX = \angle CAM and A M \overline{AM} is a median line, therefore A X \overline{AX} is a symmedian line.

2.) Since M M is a midpoint of B C \overline{BC} , therefore O M B C \overline{OM} \perp \overline{BC} , and from A X O = 9 0 \angle AXO = 90^{\circ} , therefore, A X \overline{AX} is a portion of an altitude.

3.) I claim that the isogonal conjugate of orthocenter (intersected by A X \overline{AX} ) is the circumcircle (intersected by A O \overline{AO} ), so B A X = C A O \angle BAX = \angle CAO .

4.) Finally, C A M = C A O \angle CAM = \angle CAO , which means A , O , M A,O,M are collinear.

The only possible case is A B C \triangle ABC is an isosceles where A B C = A C B \angle ABC = \angle ACB (and yes X X violates X O X \neq O even though everything is correct), giving A B C = 5 0 \boxed{\angle ABC = 50^{\circ}} .

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