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k a My Retirement & New Leadership at AoPS
rrusczyk   1571
N Mar 26, 2025 by SmartGroot
I write today to announce my retirement as CEO from Art of Problem Solving. When I founded AoPS 22 years ago, I never imagined that we would reach so many students and families, or that we would find so many channels through which we discover, inspire, and train the great problem solvers of the next generation. I am very proud of all we have accomplished and I’m thankful for the many supporters who provided inspiration and encouragement along the way. I'm particularly grateful to all of the wonderful members of the AoPS Community!

I’m delighted to introduce our new leaders - Ben Kornell and Andrew Sutherland. Ben has extensive experience in education and edtech prior to joining AoPS as my successor as CEO, including starting like I did as a classroom teacher. He has a deep understanding of the value of our work because he’s an AoPS parent! Meanwhile, Andrew and I have common roots as founders of education companies; he launched Quizlet at age 15! His journey from founder to MIT to technology and product leader as our Chief Product Officer traces a pathway many of our students will follow in the years to come.

Thank you again for your support for Art of Problem Solving and we look forward to working with millions more wonderful problem solvers in the years to come.

And special thanks to all of the amazing AoPS team members who have helped build AoPS. We’ve come a long way from here:IMAGE
1571 replies
rrusczyk
Mar 24, 2025
SmartGroot
Mar 26, 2025
k a March Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Mar 2, 2025
March is the month for State MATHCOUNTS competitions! Kudos to everyone who participated in their local chapter competitions and best of luck to all going to State! Join us on March 11th for a Math Jam devoted to our favorite Chapter competition problems! Are you interested in training for MATHCOUNTS? Be sure to check out our AMC 8/MATHCOUNTS Basics and Advanced courses.

Are you ready to level up with Olympiad training? Registration is open with early bird pricing available for our WOOT programs: MathWOOT (Levels 1 and 2), CodeWOOT, PhysicsWOOT, and ChemWOOT. What is WOOT? WOOT stands for Worldwide Online Olympiad Training and is a 7-month high school math Olympiad preparation and testing program that brings together many of the best students from around the world to learn Olympiad problem solving skills. Classes begin in September!

Do you have plans this summer? There are so many options to fit your schedule and goals whether attending a summer camp or taking online classes, it can be a great break from the routine of the school year. Check out our summer courses at AoPS Online, or if you want a math or language arts class that doesn’t have homework, but is an enriching summer experience, our AoPS Virtual Campus summer camps may be just the ticket! We are expanding our locations for our AoPS Academies across the country with 15 locations so far and new campuses opening in Saratoga CA, Johns Creek GA, and the Upper West Side NY. Check out this page for summer camp information.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following events:
[list][*]March 5th (Wednesday), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, HCSSiM Math Jam 2025. Amber Verser, Assistant Director of the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics, will host an information session about HCSSiM, a summer program for high school students.
[*]March 6th (Thursday), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Free Webinar on Math Competitions from elementary through high school. Join us for an enlightening session that demystifies the world of math competitions and helps you make informed decisions about your contest journey.
[*]March 11th (Tuesday), 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, 2025 MATHCOUNTS Chapter Discussion MATH JAM. AoPS instructors will discuss some of their favorite problems from the MATHCOUNTS Chapter Competition. All are welcome!
[*]March 13th (Thursday), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Free Webinar about Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus. Transform your summer into an unforgettable learning adventure! From elementary through high school, we offer dynamic summer camps featuring topics in mathematics, language arts, and competition preparation - all designed to fit your schedule and ignite your passion for learning.[/list]
Our full course list for upcoming classes is below:
All classes run 7:30pm-8:45pm ET/4:30pm - 5:45pm PT unless otherwise noted.

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0 replies
jlacosta
Mar 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
Brasil NMO (OBM) - 2007
oscar_sanz012   1
N 26 minutes ago by ND_
Show that there exists an integer ? such that
[tex3]\frac{a^{29} - 1}{a - 1}[/tex3]
have at least 2007 distinct prime factors.
1 reply
oscar_sanz012
6 hours ago
ND_
26 minutes ago
Inspired by old results
sqing   5
N 39 minutes ago by MathsII-enjoy
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c > 0 $ and $ a+b+c +abc =4. $ Prove that
$$ a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 3 \geq 2( ab+bc + ca )$$Let $ a,b,c > 0 $ and $  ab+bc+ca+abc=4. $ Prove that
$$ a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 2abc \geq  5$$
5 replies
sqing
Mar 27, 2025
MathsII-enjoy
39 minutes ago
Inspired by Crux 4975
sqing   1
N an hour ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b\geq 0 $ and $a^2+b^2+ab+a+b=1. $ Prove that
$$ a^2+b^2+3ab(a+ b-1 ) \geq \frac{1}{9} $$$$\frac{4}{9}\geq a^2+b^2+3ab(a+ b ) \geq \frac{3-\sqrt 5}{2}$$$$\frac{7}{9}\geq a^2+b^2+3ab(a+ b +1) \geq \frac{3-\sqrt 5}{2}$$
1 reply
1 viewing
sqing
an hour ago
sqing
an hour ago
the nearest distance in geometric sequence
David-Vieta   7
N an hour ago by Anthony2025
Source: 2024 China High School Olympics A P1
A positive integer \( r \) is given, find the largest real number \( C \) such that there exists a geometric sequence $\{ a_n \}_{n\ge 1}$ with common ratio \( r \) satisfying
$$
\| a_n \| \ge C
$$for all positive integers \( n \). Here, $\|  x \|$ denotes the distance from the real number \( x \) to the nearest integer.
7 replies
David-Vieta
Sep 8, 2024
Anthony2025
an hour ago
Geometric Sequence Squared
scls140511   5
N an hour ago by Anthony2025
Source: China Round 1 (Gao Lian)
2 Let there be an infinite geometric sequence $\{a_n\}$, where the common ratio $0<|q|<1$. Given that

$$\sum_{i=1}^\infty a_n = \sum_{i=1}^\infty a_n^2$$
find the largest possible range of $a_2$.
5 replies
scls140511
Sep 8, 2024
Anthony2025
an hour ago
An FE lemma about you!
gghx   11
N an hour ago by jasperE3
Source: Own, inspired by problem 556 in the FE marathon
Suppose $f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is your favourite function, $g:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is your mother's favourite function, and $h:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is your father's favourite function. It was discovered that for any reals $x,y$, $$f(xy+g(x))=xf(y)+h(x)$$Prove that you are boring.

(Hint: you might need to use the quotable result that if someone's favourite function is a linear polynomial, they are boring)
11 replies
gghx
Jun 14, 2022
jasperE3
an hour ago
Perfect Numbers
steven_zhang123   1
N an hour ago by lyllyl
Source: China TST 2001 Quiz 8 P2
If the sum of all positive divisors (including itself) of a positive integer $n$ is $2n$, then $n$ is called a perfect number. For example, the sum of the positive divisors of 6 is $1 + 2 + 3 + 6 = 2 \times 6$, hence 6 is a perfect number.
Prove: There does not exist a perfect number of the form $p^a q^b r^c$, where $a, b, c$ are positive integers, and $p, q, r$ are odd primes.
1 reply
steven_zhang123
5 hours ago
lyllyl
an hour ago
How close to an integer
scls140511   1
N an hour ago by Anthony2025
Source: 2024 China Round 2
Round 2

1 Define the isolation index of real number $q$ to be $\min ( \{x\}, 1-\{x\})$, where $[x]$ is the largest integer no greater than $x$, and $\{x\}=x-[x]$. For each positive integer $r$, find the maximum possible real number $C$ such as there exists an infinite geometric sequence with common ratio $r$ and isolation index of each term being at least $C$.
1 reply
scls140511
Sep 8, 2024
Anthony2025
an hour ago
A problem
jokehim   3
N 2 hours ago by KhuongTrang
Source: me
Let $a,b,c>0$ and prove $$\sqrt{\frac{a+b}{c}}+\sqrt{\frac{c+b}{a}}+\sqrt{\frac{a+c}{b}}\ge \frac{3\sqrt{6}}{2}\cdot\sqrt{\frac{3(a^3+b^3+c^3)}{(a+b+c)^3}+1}.$$
3 replies
jokehim
Mar 1, 2025
KhuongTrang
2 hours ago
Probably appeared before
steven_zhang123   1
N 2 hours ago by lyllyl
In the plane, there are two line segments $AB$ and $CD$, with $AB \neq CD$. Prove that there exists and only exists one point $P$ such that $\triangle PAB \sim \triangle PCD$.($P$ corresponds to $P$, $A$ corresponds to $C$)
Click to reveal hidden text
1 reply
steven_zhang123
2 hours ago
lyllyl
2 hours ago
Hard geometry
jannatiar   2
N 2 hours ago by sami1618
Source: 2024 AlborzMO P4
In triangle \( ABC \), let \( I \) be the \( A \)-excenter. Points \( X \) and \( Y \) are placed on line \( BC \) such that \( B \) is between \( X \) and \( C \), and \( C \) is between \( Y \) and \( B \). Moreover, \( B \) and \( C \) are the contact points of \( BC \) with the \( A \)-excircle of triangles \( BAY \) and \( AXC \), respectively. Let \( J \) be the \( A \)-excenter of triangle \( AXY \), and let \( H' \) be the reflection of the orthocenter of triangle \( ABC \) with respect to its circumcenter. Prove that \( I \), \( J \), and \( H' \) are collinear.

Proposed by Ali Nazarboland
2 replies
jannatiar
Mar 4, 2025
sami1618
2 hours ago
Solve this hard problem:
slimshadyyy.3.60   3
N 3 hours ago by Nguyenhuyen_AG
Let a,b,c be positive real numbers such that x +y+z = 3. Prove that
yx^3 +zy^3+xz^3+9xyz≤ 12.
3 replies
slimshadyyy.3.60
Yesterday at 10:46 PM
Nguyenhuyen_AG
3 hours ago
A cyclic inequality
KhuongTrang   1
N 3 hours ago by Nguyenhuyen_AG
Source: Nguyen Van Hoa@Facebook.
Problem. Let $a,b,c$ be positive real variables. Prove that$$\frac{a^2}{b}+\frac{b^2}{c}+\frac{c^2}{a}+\frac{9abc}{a^2+b^2+c^2}\ge 2(a+b+c).$$Edit: Thank you, Nguyenhuyen-AG
$$\frac{a^2}{b}+\frac{b^2}{c}+\frac{c^2}{a}+\frac{9abc}{a^2+b^2+c^2}\ge 2(a+b+c)$$$$\iff \sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\left(\frac{a^2}{b}-2a+b\right)\ge a+b+c-\frac{9abc}{a^2+b^2+c^2}$$$$\iff \sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}\frac{(a-b)^2}{b}\ge \frac{1}{a^2+b^2+c^2}\cdot\left[a(b-c)^2+b(c-a)^2+c(a-b)^2+\frac{1}{2}(a+b+c)\big((a-b)^2+(b-c)^2+(c-a)^2\big)\right]$$$$\iff \sum_{\mathrm{cyc}}(a-b)^2\left[\frac{1}{b}-\frac{a+b+3c}{2(a^2+b^2+c^2)}\right]\ge 0.$$I think someone will complete it by $SOS$ method.
1 reply
KhuongTrang
3 hours ago
Nguyenhuyen_AG
3 hours ago
weird looking system of equations
Valentin Vornicu   37
N 3 hours ago by deduck
Source: USAMO 2005, problem 2, Razvan Gelca
Prove that the system \begin{align*}
x^6+x^3+x^3y+y & = 147^{157} \\
x^3+x^3y+y^2+y+z^9 & = 157^{147}
\end{align*} has no solutions in integers $x$, $y$, and $z$.
37 replies
Valentin Vornicu
Apr 21, 2005
deduck
3 hours ago
Lines AD, BE, and CF are concurrent
orl   47
N Mar 28, 2025 by Maximilian113
Source: IMO Shortlist 2000, G3
Let $O$ be the circumcenter and $H$ the orthocenter of an acute triangle $ABC$. Show that there exist points $D$, $E$, and $F$ on sides $BC$, $CA$, and $AB$ respectively such that \[ OD + DH = OE + EH = OF + FH\] and the lines $AD$, $BE$, and $CF$ are concurrent.
47 replies
orl
Aug 10, 2008
Maximilian113
Mar 28, 2025
Lines AD, BE, and CF are concurrent
G H J
Source: IMO Shortlist 2000, G3
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orl
3647 posts
#1 • 8 Y
Y by Davi-8191, mathematicsy, Adventure10, chessgocube, HWenslawski, ImSh95, Mango247, Amir Hossein
Let $O$ be the circumcenter and $H$ the orthocenter of an acute triangle $ABC$. Show that there exist points $D$, $E$, and $F$ on sides $BC$, $CA$, and $AB$ respectively such that \[ OD + DH = OE + EH = OF + FH\] and the lines $AD$, $BE$, and $CF$ are concurrent.
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mr.danh
635 posts
#2 • 6 Y
Y by Adventure10, chessgocube, HWenslawski, ImSh95, Mango247, ehuseyinyigit
Solution
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Valentin Vornicu
7301 posts
#3 • 8 Y
Y by SherlockBond, raknum007, megarnie, chessgocube, ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
We know that the orthocenter reflects over the sides of the triangle on the circumcircle. Therefore the minimal distance $ OD+HD$ equals $ R$. Obviously we can achieve this on all sides, so we assume that $ D,E,F$ are the intersection points between $ A',B',C'$ the reflections of $ H$ across $ BC,CA,AB$ respectively. All we have to prove is that $ AD$, $ BE$ and $ CF$ are concurrent.

In order to do that we need the ratios $ \dfrac {BD}{DC}$, $ \dfrac {CE}{EA}$ and $ \dfrac {AF}{FB}$, and then we can apply Ceva's theorem.

We know that the triangle $ ABC$ is acute, so $ \angle BAH = 90^\circ- \angle B = \angle OAC$, therefore $ \angle HAO = |\angle A - 2(90^\circ -\angle B)| = |\angle B- \angle C|$. In particular this means that $ \angle OA'H = |\angle B-\angle C|$. Since $ \angle BA'A = \angle C$ and $ \angle AA'C = \angle B$, we have that $ \angle BA'D = \angle B$ and $ \angle DA'C = \angle C$.

By the Sine theorem in the triangles $ BA'D$ and $ DA'C$, we get
\[ \dfrac {BD}{DC} = \dfrac { \sin B }{\sin C }.\]

Using the similar relationships for $ \dfrac {CE}{EA}$ and $ \dfrac {AF}{FB}$ we get that those three fractions multiply up to 1, and thus by Ceva's, the lines $ AD, BE$ and $ CF$ are concurrent.
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Zhero
2043 posts
#4 • 7 Y
Y by p1a, chessgocube, ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247, ehuseyinyigit, and 1 other user
Lemma 1: If an ellipse is inscribed triangle $ABC$, tangent to $BC$, $AC$, and $AB$ at $D$, $E$, and $F$, respectively, then $AD$, $BE$, and $CF$ are concurrent.
Proof: Scale the ellipse about its major axis so that it becomes a circle; here, $A'D'$, $B'E'$, and $C'F'$ concur at the Gergonne point of $A' B' C'$. Scaling preserves incidence, so $AD$, $BE$, and $CF$ concur.

Lemma 2: Let $\ell$ be any line, and let $X$ and $Y$ be any points on the same side of $\ell$. Let $Z$ be the reflection of $X$ across $\ell$, and let $W$ be the intersection of $YZ$ and $\ell$. Then the ellipse with foci $X$ and $Y$ that passes through $W$ is tangent to $\ell$.
Proof: Suppose that the ellipse intersected line $\ell$ at another point, $W'$. Then $XW' + YW' = YW' + ZW' > YZ$ by the triangle inequality, since $W'$, $Y$, and $Z$ are not collinear. On the other hand, by definition of ellipse, $XW' + YW' = XW + YW = ZW + YW = YZ$, so $YZ > YZ$, which is a contradiction.

By lemma 1, it is sufficient to show that there exists an ellipse with foci $O$ and $H$ that are tangent to the sides $BC$, $AC$, and $AB$ at $D$, $E$, and $F$, respectively.

Reflect $H$ across $BC$, $CA$, and $AC$ to get $A'$, $B'$, and $C'$, respectively, and let $OA'$ hit $BC$ at $D$, $OB'$ hit $CA$ at $E$, and $OC'$ hit $AB$ at $F$. . $A',B',C'$ lie on the circumcircle of $ABC$, so $R = OA' = OB' = OC' = HD + DO = HE + EO = HF + FO$, where $R$ is the circumradius of $\triangle ABC$ (since $A', B', C'$ are the reflections of $H$ across the sides of the triangle.)

Consider the ellipse with foci $O$ and $H$ with a major axis of length $R$. By definition, the ellipse passes through $D$, $E$, and $F$. However, by lemma 2, it is tangent to sides $BC$, $CA$, and $AB$, so by lemma 1, we are done.

Some motivation
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Rofler
802 posts
#5 • 2 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10
@Zhero: Instead of scaling, it is more elegant to just use Brainchon's theorem.

Cheers,

Rofler
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Zhero
2043 posts
#6 • 2 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10
Probably. I believe we could also just centrally project it to a circle as well (my first approach). :P I chose to scale because I felt it was the most elementary solution; anyone who knows anything about ellipses should be able to understand the solution I gave.
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goodar2006
1347 posts
#7 • 5 Y
Y by mrdriller, ImSh95, Adventure10, and 2 other users
since $H$ and $O$ are two isogonal conjugate points, there exists an ellipse which these two points are its foci and its tangent to sides of the triangle.
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StefanS
149 posts
#8 • 3 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247
Valentin Vornicu wrote:
By the Sine theorem in the triangles $ BA'D$ and $ DA'C$, we get
\[ \dfrac {BD}{DC} = \dfrac { \sin B }{\sin C }.\]

By the law of sines for triangles $~$ $ \triangle{BA'D} $ $~$ and $~$ $ \triangle{DA'C} $ $~$ we get:
\[ \frac { BD } { \sin B } = \frac { A'D } { \sin \angle{DBA'} } \quad \wedge \quad \frac { DC } { \sin C } = \frac { A'D } { \sin \angle{DCA'} } \]
So for:
\[ \dfrac {BD}{DC} = \dfrac { \sin B }{\sin C }.\]
to be true, the following:
\[ \sin \angle{DBA'} = \sin \angle{DCA'} \]
should be true as well. I don't think that's correct. :maybe:
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Virgil Nicula
7054 posts
#9 • 3 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247
You are right. See here PP8.
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StefanS
149 posts
#10 • 3 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247
Virgil Nicula wrote:
You are right. See here PP8.

Wow you had a math blog!!! :w00t: I unfortunately can't read the entire problems. Only half of the picture is displayed. Do you know why? :(
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Virgil Nicula
7054 posts
#11 • 3 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247
See click on the title of message.
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exmath89
2572 posts
#12 • 2 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10
Solution
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IDMasterz
1412 posts
#13 • 5 Y
Y by DPS, ImSh95, Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
Sol
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sayantanchakraborty
505 posts
#14 • 2 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10
orl wrote:
Let $O$ be the circumcenter and $H$ the orthocenter of an acute triangle $ABC$. Show that there exist points $D$, $E$, and $F$ on sides $BC$, $CA$, and $AB$ respectively such that \[ OD + DH = OE + EH = OF + FH\] and the lines $AD$, $BE$, and $CF$ are concurrent.

This problem also appeared in one of the Indian TSTs!!!
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bonciocatciprian
41 posts
#15 • 3 Y
Y by ImSh95, Adventure10, silouan
Take $H_a, H_b, H_c$ be the mirror images of $H$ about $BC, AC, $ and $AB$ respectively. They lie on the circumcircle of $\Delta ABC$. Now, take $\{D\} = OH_a \cap BC$, $\{E\} = OH_b \cap AC$ and $\{F\} = OH_c \cap AB$. Now, using Pool's Theorem, we get that $OD + DH = OE + EH = OF + FH$. Moreover, in this case the sum $OD+DH$ is minimal, so the points $D, E, F$ are situated on an ellipse of foci $O$ and $H$, having the constant sum equal to $R$ (the ray of the circumcircle of $\Delta ABC$), and which is tangent to the edges of the triangle. Now, this is just Gergonne's theorem, under a projective transformation.
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