258. Some difficult and nice problems with complex numbers.
by Virgil Nicula, Apr 2, 2011, 9:47 PM
Proposed problem 1. Suppose that for
and
exists
so that
. Prove that
and
(Al. Halanay).
An easy extension. Suppose that for
,
and
exists
so that
. Prove that
and
(Fl. Vulpescu Jalea).
Proof. Let
be a complex number such that
and let
be an arbitrary complex number. Prove easily that
.
In both cases the equality holds iff
or
. Suppose that
, i.e.
. If
, then 
and
. Assume that
. Thus,
. If
, then the result is established immediately. We suppose for now that
.
If
by
with
and
we have
which is absurd. Likewise,
is not a possibility. Therefore,
.
Remark. For
and
obtain an old and very nice Al. Halanay's problem.
Proposed problem 2. Let
and
. Prove that
.
Proof (algebraic).
Proof (geometric). If
then the inequality is clearly. Suppose from this point that
. Write
,
and
. Therefore,
,
and 
are points on the unit circle with the property that
, i.e. the centroid of the triangle generated by
,
and
is exactly the circumcenter. Thus,
,
and 
form an equilateral triangle. We may assume without loss of generality that
,
and
are located in this order if viewed counterclockwise. Geometrically, if
,
, 
and
are points representing
,
,
and
, then
. Let
,
and
be the midpoints of
,
and
respectively.
The inequality we have to prove is equivalent to
. We may instead show
. The Stewart's theorem
and the Law of Cosine give us
.
That is
, where we have used AM-GM. The proof is now complete.
Proposed problem 3. Let
be a point in an acute
. Prove that
, where
.
Proof. Using the relations
a.s.o., where
is the circumradius of
, the inequalities is equivalently with 
respectively because
, i.e.
. Let
,
,
be the complex affixes of
,
,
respectively and set 
as the origin of the complex plane. Then we have
as desired.
Proposed problem 4 (China Olympiad 1998). Let
be an arbitrary point in the plane of triangle
. Prove that
with equality iff
is the orthocenter of
.
Proof. Denote
- the point
with affix
. I"ll use the well-known identity
.
Therefore,
.
Proposed problem 5 (Short List ONM 2002 Romania). For given
ascertain
for which
and
.
Proof.
so that
, where
and
, where
and
.
PP 6. Prove that
.
Proof. Suppose
. Thus,

.






An easy extension. Suppose that for







Proof. Let




In both cases the equality holds iff












If







Remark. For


Proposed problem 2. Let



Proof (algebraic).
Proof (geometric). If








are points on the unit circle with the property that







form an equilateral triangle. We may assume without loss of generality that






and












The inequality we have to prove is equivalent to



and the Law of Cosine give us

That is

Proposed problem 3. Let



![$S=[ABC]$](http://latex.artofproblemsolving.com/b/3/a/b3ae3d445111e4dd28be75922309d3270079368c.png)
Proof. Using the relations




respectively because









as the origin of the complex plane. Then we have

Proposed problem 4 (China Olympiad 1998). Let

![$[ABC]$](http://latex.artofproblemsolving.com/d/3/3/d33cc80fa8f093e155c5be46d2e5d9da3d7e1ef5.png)



Proof. Denote




Therefore,




Proposed problem 5 (Short List ONM 2002 Romania). For given




Proof.











PP 6. Prove that

Proof. Suppose






This post has been edited 46 times. Last edited by Virgil Nicula, Nov 22, 2015, 9:22 AM