Why is it Always P?

Geometry Level 3

P P is a point inside an equilateral triangle A B C \triangle ABC such that A P 2 = B P 2 + C P 2 AP^2=BP^2+CP^2 . What is the measure of B P C \angle BPC in degrees?

120 117.5 150 135

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3 solutions

Joel Tan
Dec 5, 2014

Rotate the entire figure by 60° around A anticlockwise. We obtain another two points. Let P' be the rotation of P by 60° and C' the rotation of C by 60°.

Now we know that A P = A P AP=AP' since it is just a rotation, and P A P = 60 ° \angle PAP'=60° . Thus P P = A P PP'=AP . But P P 2 = A P 2 = B P 2 + C P 2 = C P 2 + C P 2 PP'^{2}=AP^{2}=BP^{2}+CP^{2}=CP^{2}+CP'^{2} hence P P C \triangle PP'C is a right-angled triangle. Thus P C P = A C P + A C P = A C P + A B P = 90 ° \angle PCP'=\angle ACP+\angle ACP'=\angle ACP+\angle ABP=90° . Hence P B C + P C B = 180 ° 90 ° 60 ° = 30 ° . \angle PBC+\angle PCB=180°-90°-60°=30°. and the result follows.

Yes, a nice beautifull method. +1)

Niranjan Khanderia - 3 years, 8 months ago

Due to symmetry, the extension of A P AP will meet B C BC at a right angle, B P = C P BP = CP and B A P = C A P = 3 0 \angle BAP = \angle CAP = 30^\circ .

Let B P = C P = a BP=CP=a . Since A P 2 = B P 2 + C P 2 = 2 a 2 A P = 2 a AP^2=BP^2+CP^2 = 2a^2\quad \Rightarrow AP = \sqrt{2}a

Let A B P = θ \angle ABP = \theta . By Sine Rule, we have: sin θ 2 = sin 3 0 a = 1 2 a sin θ = 1 2 θ = 4 5 \space \dfrac {\sin {\theta}} {\sqrt{2}} = \dfrac {\sin {30^\circ}}{a} = \dfrac {1}{2a} \quad \Rightarrow \sin {\theta} = \dfrac {1}{\sqrt{2}} \quad \Rightarrow \theta = 45^\circ .

Therefore, P B C = P C B = 6 0 4 5 = 1 5 \space \angle PBC = \angle PCB = 60^\circ-45^\circ=15^\circ and B P C = 18 0 2 × 1 5 = 15 0 \space \angle BPC = 180^\circ - 2\times 15^\circ = \boxed {150^\circ}

You cannot assume that it is symmetrical, but it is a good way to obtain the answer quickly.

Joel Tan - 6 years, 6 months ago

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Come to think of it my solution really doesn't involve symmetry. Sine Rule works for all triangles. The angles are equal because A B C \triangle ABC is equilateral and B P C \triangle BPC is isosceles.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 6 years, 6 months ago

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I didn't try to understand your symmetry argument, but if I'm not wrong the locus of P is a circle. It passes through B and C, and its center is reflection of A with BC as mirror.

Samarth Kapoor - 6 years, 5 months ago

Very nice and simple solution!

Dan Ley - 4 years, 7 months ago

If the answer is an invariant for any point P satisfying the conditions, it should be true also when PB=PC. Hence the above proof. But I think such proofs are not valid.

Niranjan Khanderia - 3 years, 8 months ago

A pure logic proof:
If AP=BP=CP, angle BPC=120.
Legs PB and PC are shorter than PA.
So angle BPC>120.
But from the given selection, only 150>120.
So angle BPC=150.



Wrong. 135° can also be a answer by that inference.

Aaryan Sharma - 2 years, 3 months ago

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