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k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner, what are your plans? At AoPS Online our schedule has new classes starting now through July, so be sure to keep your skills sharp and be prepared for the Fall school year! Check out the schedule of upcoming classes below.

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0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 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
inquequality
ngocthi0101   8
N 25 minutes ago by sqing
let $a,b,c > 0$ prove that
$\frac{a}{b} + \sqrt {\frac{b}{c}}  + \sqrt[3]{{\frac{c}{a}}} > \frac{5}{2}$
8 replies
1 viewing
ngocthi0101
Sep 26, 2014
sqing
25 minutes ago
Tangent.
steven_zhang123   2
N 28 minutes ago by AshAuktober
Source: China TST 2001 Quiz 6 P1
In \( \triangle ABC \) with \( AB > BC \), a tangent to the circumcircle of \( \triangle ABC \) at point \( B \) intersects the extension of \( AC \) at point \( D \). \( E \) is the midpoint of \( BD \), and \( AE \) intersects the circumcircle of \( \triangle ABC \) at \( F \). Prove that \( \angle CBF = \angle BDF \).
2 replies
steven_zhang123
Mar 23, 2025
AshAuktober
28 minutes ago
IMO ShortList 1998, algebra problem 1
orl   37
N 43 minutes ago by Marcus_Zhang
Source: IMO ShortList 1998, algebra problem 1
Let $a_{1},a_{2},\ldots ,a_{n}$ be positive real numbers such that $a_{1}+a_{2}+\cdots +a_{n}<1$. Prove that

\[ \frac{a_{1} a_{2} \cdots a_{n} \left[ 1 - (a_{1} + a_{2} + \cdots + a_{n}) \right] }{(a_{1} + a_{2} + \cdots + a_{n})( 1 - a_{1})(1 - a_{2}) \cdots (1 - a_{n})} \leq \frac{1}{ n^{n+1}}. \]
37 replies
orl
Oct 22, 2004
Marcus_Zhang
43 minutes ago
Integer Coefficient Polynomial with order
MNJ2357   9
N an hour ago by v_Enhance
Source: 2019 Korea Winter Program Practice Test 1 Problem 3
Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that for all positive number $n$ and prime $p$ satisfying $p\nmid nP(n)$, we have $ord_p(n)\ge ord_p(P(n))$.
9 replies
MNJ2357
Jan 12, 2019
v_Enhance
an hour ago
Regarding Maaths olympiad prepration
omega2007   2
N an hour ago by omega2007
<Hey Everyone'>
I'm 10 grader student and Im starting prepration for maths olympiad..>>> From scratch (not 2+2=4 )

Do you haves compiled resources of Handouts,
PDF,
Links,
List of books topic wise

which are shared on AOPS (and from your perspective) for maths olympiad and any useful thing, which will help me in boosting Maths olympiad prepration.
2 replies
omega2007
Yesterday at 3:13 PM
omega2007
an hour ago
Inspired by bamboozled
sqing   0
an hour ago
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c $ be reals such that $(a^2+1)(b^2+1)(c^2+1) = 27. $Prove that $$1-3\sqrt 3\leq ab + bc + ca\leq 6$$
0 replies
sqing
an hour ago
0 replies
Range of ab + bc + ca
bamboozled   1
N an hour ago by sqing
Let $(a^2+1)(b^2+1)(c^2+1) = 9$, where $a, b, c \in R$, then the number of integers in the range of $ab + bc + ca$ is __
1 reply
bamboozled
an hour ago
sqing
an hour ago
Functional Equation
AnhQuang_67   4
N an hour ago by AnhQuang_67
Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ satisfying $$2\cdot f\Big(\dfrac{-xy}{2}+f(x+y)\Big)=xf(y)+yf(x), \forall x, y \in \mathbb{R} $$
4 replies
AnhQuang_67
Yesterday at 4:50 PM
AnhQuang_67
an hour ago
Inradius and ex-radii
bamboozled   0
an hour ago
Let $ABC$ be a triangle and $r, r_1, r_2, r_3$ denote its inradius and ex-radii opposite to the vertices $A, B, C$ respectively. If $a> r_1, b > r_2$ and $c > r_3$, then which of the following is/are true?
(A) $\angle{B}$ is obtuse
(B) $\angle{A}$ is acute
(C) $3r > s$, where $s$ is semi perimeter
(D) $3r < s$, where $s$ is semi perimeter
0 replies
bamboozled
an hour ago
0 replies
Inspired by giangtruong13
sqing   1
N an hour ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b\in[\frac{1}{2},1] $. Prove that$$ 64\leq (a+b^2+\frac{4}{a^2}+\frac{2}{b})(b+a^2+\frac{4}{b^2}+\frac{2}{a})\leq\frac{6889}{16} $$Let $ a,b\in[\frac{1}{2},2] $. Prove that$$ 8(3+2\sqrt 2)\leq (a+b^2+\frac{4}{a^2}+\frac{2}{b})(b+a^2+\frac{4}{b^2}+\frac{2}{a})\leq\frac{6889}{16} $$
1 reply
sqing
an hour ago
sqing
an hour ago
Conditional maximum
giangtruong13   2
N 2 hours ago by sqing
Source: Specialized Math
Let $a,b$ satisfy that: $1 \leq a \leq2$ and $1 \leq b \leq 2$. Find the maximum: $$A=(a+b^2+\frac{4}{a^2}+\frac{2}{b})(b+a^2+\frac{4}{b^2}+\frac{2}{a})$$
2 replies
1 viewing
giangtruong13
Mar 22, 2025
sqing
2 hours ago
inequality ( 4 var
SunnyEvan   3
N 2 hours ago by SunnyEvan
Let $ a,b,c,d \in R $ , such that $ a+b+c+d=4 . $ Prove that :
$$ a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4+3 \geq \frac{7}{4}(a^3+b^3+c^3+d^3) $$$$ a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4+ \frac{252}{25} \geq \frac{88}{25}(a^3+b^3+c^3+d^3) $$equality cases : ?
3 replies
1 viewing
SunnyEvan
Yesterday at 5:19 AM
SunnyEvan
2 hours ago
Inspired by JK1603JK
sqing   16
N 2 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c\geq 0 $ and $ab+bc+ca=1.$ Prove that$$\frac{abc-2}{abc-1}\ge \frac{4(a^2b+b^2c+c^2a)}{a^3b+b^3c+c^3a+1} $$
16 replies
sqing
Yesterday at 3:31 AM
sqing
2 hours ago
Addition on the IMO
naman12   138
N 2 hours ago by NicoN9
Source: IMO 2020 Problem 1
Consider the convex quadrilateral $ABCD$. The point $P$ is in the interior of $ABCD$. The following ratio equalities hold:
\[\angle PAD:\angle PBA:\angle DPA=1:2:3=\angle CBP:\angle BAP:\angle BPC\]Prove that the following three lines meet in a point: the internal bisectors of angles $\angle ADP$ and $\angle PCB$ and the perpendicular bisector of segment $AB$.

Proposed by Dominik Burek, Poland
138 replies
1 viewing
naman12
Sep 22, 2020
NicoN9
2 hours ago
A nice problem. Olympic VietNam 2007-2008 (New).
thanhnam2902   7
N Oct 8, 2019 by Pathological
Source: Vietnam MO 2008, Problem 7
Let $ AD$ is centroid of $ ABC$ triangle. Let $ (d)$ is the perpendicular line with $ AD$. Let $ M$ is a point on $ (d)$. Let $ E, F$ are midpoints of $ MB, MC$ respectively. The line through point $ E$ and perpendicular with $ (d)$ meet $ AB$ at $ P$. The line through point $ F$ and perpendicular with $ (d)$ meet $ AC$ at $ Q$. Let $ (d')$ is a line through point $ M$ and perpendicular with $ PQ$. Prove $ (d')$ always pass a fixed point.
7 replies
thanhnam2902
Jan 29, 2008
Pathological
Oct 8, 2019
A nice problem. Olympic VietNam 2007-2008 (New).
G H J
Source: Vietnam MO 2008, Problem 7
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thanhnam2902
1668 posts
#1 • 3 Y
Y by braveheartlong, Adventure10, Mango247
Let $ AD$ is centroid of $ ABC$ triangle. Let $ (d)$ is the perpendicular line with $ AD$. Let $ M$ is a point on $ (d)$. Let $ E, F$ are midpoints of $ MB, MC$ respectively. The line through point $ E$ and perpendicular with $ (d)$ meet $ AB$ at $ P$. The line through point $ F$ and perpendicular with $ (d)$ meet $ AC$ at $ Q$. Let $ (d')$ is a line through point $ M$ and perpendicular with $ PQ$. Prove $ (d')$ always pass a fixed point.
Attachments:
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sunken rock
4379 posts
#2 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
To: Thanhnam2902

Herebelow an easy approach to this nice problem:
Take B' and C' on (d) as the orthogonal projections of B and C respectively onto (d).
When M comes to B', P goes to B, and Q to A, while when it comes to C', P goes to A and Q to C, therefore the fixed point must be the common point of the perpendiculars from B' onto AB and from C' onto AC respectively, let it be F, and it's fixed.
We have now to show that, for any position of M on (d), the perpendicular from M to PQ, got as required, passes through F.
But there is a well-known theorem stating that: The perpendiculars from the vertices of a triangle onto the sides of another triangle concur iff the perpendiculars from the vertices of the latter onto the sides of the first one concur. (Carnot??).
For our case we take the
Quote:
triangle
B'MC' and the triangle APQ. Since the perpendiculars from A, P and Q onto (d) are parallel (we assume they concur somewhere), we get that the perpendiculars from B' to AP. C' to AC and M to PQ will be concurrent as well and we are done.

We can see from here that when (d) is moving, F describes a straight line, parallel to AD.

Best regards,
sunken rock

A blind man sees better the details
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thanhnam2902
1668 posts
#3 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Adventure10, Mango247
This is full picture of the problem:
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mathpk
199 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
sunken rock wrote:
The perpendiculars from the vertices of a triangle onto the sides of another triangle concur iff the perpendiculars from the vertices of the latter onto the sides of the first one concur. (Carnot??).
Two triangles satisfying this property are called orthologic.
For more information, see here
http://www.mathlinks.ro/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=4337
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chien than
975 posts
#5 • 5 Y
Y by Hantaehee, lmht, Trafalgar0246, Adventure10, Mango247
My solution:
Image not found
We will prove that $ d';d_1;d_2$ are concurrent (*)
We have $ B'A=C'A;B'P=MP;C'Q=MQ$ so
$ B'A^2-B'P^2+MP^2-MQ^2+C'Q^2-C'A^2=0$
By Carnot's theorem with triangle $ APQ$ we have $ d';d_1;d_2$ are concurrent
Done!
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orl
3647 posts
#6 • 3 Y
Y by AlastorMoody, Adventure10, Mango247
Problem stated by mr.danh:

Let ABC be a triangle. The line $ d\parallel BC$. A point M moves on $ d$. The perpendicular line from the midpoints of MB,MC to BC meets AB,AC at D,E respectively. Prove that the perpendicular line from M to DE passes through a fixed point when M moves on $ d$.

Approach by mr.danh:

My opinion:
D,E lie on a perp bisector of M'B,M'C where M' is the orthogonal projection of M on BC.
N is the point symmetric to M' w.r.t DE. Easy to show that E lie on the circumcircle (ABC), which easily gives us M'N passes through the fixed point F', which is the intersection of altitude AH and the circumcircle (ABC). Hence, if F is the point satisfying $ \vec{F'F} = \vec{M'M}$, F is the fixed point that the perp line from M to DE passes through.
The problem was proven.

Approach by Nemion:

What popped first to my mind was an analytic solution:
$ A = (0,a)$, $ B = (b,0)$ $ C = (c,0)$ $ M = (t,m)$ with $ m$ fixed. midpoints $ P$, $ Q$ of $ BM$, $ CM$ are: $ P = (\frac {t + b}{2},\frac {m}{2})$ and $ Q = (\frac {t + c}{2},\frac {m}{2})$ equation of $ AB$: $ y = \frac {a}{ - b}x + a$ eq $ AC$: $ y = \frac {a}{ - c} + a$ then $ E = (\frac {t + b}{2},(\frac {a}{ - b})(\frac {t + b}{2}) + a))$ and $ F = (\frac {t + c}{2},(\frac {a}{ - c})(\frac {t + c}{2}) + a))$ slope of $ EF$ (Reducing terms and making the computations) is: $ \frac {at}{bc}$ then the slope of the perpendicular to $ EF$ trough $ M$ is: $ - \frac {bc}{at}$ then the equation of the perpendicular to $ EF$ trough $ M$ is: $ y = - \frac {bc}{at}(x - t) + m$ the intersection of this line with the $ y$ axis is: $ y = m + \frac {bc}{a}$ (point: $ (0,\frac {bc}{a} + m)$) but this last point doesn't depend on $ t$ (but on $ m$) therefore it is fixed for $ m$ fixed.

Approach by yetti:

As long as $ d \parallel BC,$ the line $ DE$ does not depend on $ d.$ Assume the proposition is true for the line $ BC$ itself. Let $ M' \in BC$ be the foot of normal from $ M \in d,$ let $ p \parallel p'$ be the perpendiculars from $ M, M'$ to $ DE,$ let $ F'$ be the fixed point of $ p'$ and let a parallel to $ MM'$ through $ F'$ cut $ p$ at $ F.$ $ MM'F'F$ is a parallelogram, $ FF' = MM'$ and $ (FF' \parallel MM') \perp BC.$ Since $ F' \in p'$ is fixed, $ F \in p$ is also fixed. Therefore, it is sufficient to prove the proposition for $ BC$ itself, hence assume $ M \in BC.$

Let $ MD, ME$ cut perpendiculars to $ BC$ at $ B, C$ at points $ U, V.$ $ D, E$ are midpoints of $ MU, MV,$ $ DE \parallel UV$ is a midline of the $ \triangle MUV.$ Since $ D, E$ are on perpendicular bisectors of $ MB, MC,$ $ \angle UMB = \angle B,$ $ \angle VMC = \angle C.$ Parallels to $ UM, VM$ through $ C, B,$ respectively, intersect at the reflection $ A'$ of $ A$ in the perpendicular bisector of $ BC.$ Define 3 points on the line at infinity: $ X^* \equiv MU \cap CA',$ $ Y^* \equiv MV \cap BA',$ $ Z^* \equiv BU \cap CV.$ Consider the line $ MBC$ and the line at infinity $ X^*Y^*Z^*.$ By Pappus theorem, the intersections $ U \equiv MX^* \cap BZ^*,$ $ V \equiv MY^* \cap CZ^*,$ $ A' \equiv CX^* \cap BY^*$ are collinear.

Let $ W$ be the foot of a normal from $ M$ to $ UV,$ i.e., $ MW \perp DE$ is the line supposedly passing through a fixed point. $ MUWB$ is cyclic because of the right angles $ \angle MBU, \angle MWU,$ hence $ \angle A'WB = \angle UMB = \angle B.$ Since $ A', B$ are on the circumcircle of the $ \triangle ABC$ and $ \angle A'CB = \angle ABC = \angle B,$ it follows that $ W \in (O).$ Let $ MW$ cut $ (O)$ again at $ F.$ Since the angle $ \angle A'WF$ is right, $ A'F$ is a diameter of $ (O)$ from a fixed point $ A',$ so that $ F$ is also fixed. Obviously, the angle $ \angle A'AF$ is also right and $ F$ is the other intersection of the A-altitude of the $ \triangle ABC$ with it circumcircle $ (O).$

Approach by vittasko:


The orthopole $ K$ of the triangle $ \bigtriangleup ADE,$ with respect to the sideline $ BC,$ lies on the midperpendicular of the segment $ HA',$ where $ H$ is the orthocenter of $ \bigtriangleup ABC$ and $ A'$ is the orthogonal projection of $ A$ on $ BC$ $ ($ $ AA'$ = $ A$-altitude of $ \bigtriangleup$ $ ABC$ $ ).$

The line segment $ HM',$ where $ M'$ is the orthogonal projection of $ M$ on $ BC,$ always passes through the point $ K.$

So, the line through the point $ M$ and perpendicular to $ DE$ as the problem states, as parallel to $ DK,$ intersects the line segment $ AA'$ at one point so be it $ T,$ such that $ A'T = HA' - MM'$ $ ($ in my drawing, the point $ M$ is inwardly to $ \bigtriangleup ABC$ and $ MM' < HA'$ $ )$ and so, it is a fixed point.

I will check my notes and if I am not mistaken, I will post here next time the details about the proof of this result.

Kostas Vittas.

Approach by vittasko:

Let $ P,\ Q$ be, the midpoints of the segments $ MB,\ MC$ respectively and we denote as $ D'\ M'\ E',$ the orthogonal projections of $ D,\ M,\ E$ respectively, on $ BC.$

It is well known (and easy to prove by Carnot theorem ), that the lines through the points $ D',\ A',\ E',$ where $ A'$ is the orthogonal projection of $ A$ on $ BC$ $ ($ $ AA',$ is the $ A$-altitude of $ \bigtriangleup ABC$ $ ),$ are concurrent at one point so be it $ K,$ as the orthopole of the triangle $ \bigtriangleup ADE,$ with respect to the sideline $ BC$ of $ \bigtriangleup ABC.$

Because of now, $ M'D' = D'B$ and $ M'E' = E'C$ and $ D'K\parallel BH$ and $ E'K\parallel CH,$ we conclude that the points $ M',\ K,\ H,$ are collinear and $ M'K = KH$ $ ,(1)$

It is easy to show that the line through the point $ M$ and perpendicular to $ DE,$ as parallel to $ A'K,$ intersects the line segment $ AA',$ at one point so be it $ T,$ such that $ A'T = MZ,$ where $ Z\equiv A'K\cap M'M,$ as the fourth vertex of the rectangle $ HA'M'Z.$

It is clear that $ T$ is a fixed point on the line segment $ AA',$ because of $ A'T = MZ = M'Z - M'M = HA' - M'M$ $ ,(2)$

Hence, the line through the point $ M$ and perpendicular to $ DE$ as the problem states, passes through the fixed point $ T$ and the proof is completed.

Kostas Vittas.

PS. It is easy to show that the line through the point $ M'$ and perpendicular to $ DE,$ passes through the point $ H',$ as the intersection point of the circumcircle of $ \bigtriangleup ABC,$ from its altitude $ AA'.$
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mr.danh
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#7 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
An extension of this problem
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Pathological
578 posts
#8 • 3 Y
Y by Tafi_ak, Adventure10, Mango247
Move $M$ linearly on $d$, in terms of the variable $t$ denoting time. Observe that $P, Q$ also move linearly on $AB, AC$ respectively. As a result of the above, for a particular point $S$ in the plane, the function $f(t) = MP^2 - MQ^2 + SQ^2 - SP^2$ is a quadratic in $t.$ Hence, if it is zero for $3$ points, it is identically $0$ and we'd be done.

We therefore just need to show that the lines $d'$ pass three a fixed point for some three choices of $M$. We will take the feet of the altitude of $B, D, C$ respectively to $d$ as our three choices. It's easy to check that these three choices of $M$ indeed lead to an intersection point for $S$.

$\square$
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