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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
Problem 1
blug   7
N 6 minutes ago by kokcio
Source: Polish Math Olympiad 2025 Finals P1
Find all $(a, b, c, d)\in \mathbb{R}$ satisfying
\[\begin{aligned}
\begin{cases}
    a+b+c+d=0,\\
    a^2+b^2+c^2+d^2=12,\\
    abcd=-3.\\
\end{cases}
\end{aligned}\]
7 replies
blug
Apr 4, 2025
kokcio
6 minutes ago
Problem 3
blug   2
N 16 minutes ago by kokcio
Source: Polish Math Olympiad 2025 Finals P3
Positive integer $k$ and $k$ colors are given. We will say that a set of $2k$ points on a plane is $colorful$, if it contains exactly 2 points of each color and if lines connecting every two points of the same color are pairwise distinct. Find, in terms of $k$ the least integer $n\geq 2$ such that: in every set of $nk$ points of a plane, no three of which are collinear, consisting of $n$ points of every color there exists a $colorful$ subset.
2 replies
blug
Apr 4, 2025
kokcio
16 minutes ago
isogonal geometry
Tuguldur   3
N an hour ago by whwlqkd
Let $P$ and $Q$ be isogonal conjugates with respect to $\triangle ABC$. Let $\triangle P_1P_2P_3$ and $\triangle Q_1Q_2Q_3$ be their respective pedal triangles. Let\[ X_1=P_2Q_3\cap P_3Q_2,\quad X_2=P_1Q_3\cap P_3Q_1,\quad X_3=P_1Q_2\cap P_2Q_1 \]Prove that the points $X_1$, $X_2$ and $X_3$ lie on the line $PQ$.
3 replies
Tuguldur
Today at 4:27 AM
whwlqkd
an hour ago
4-variable inequality with square root
a_507_bc   11
N an hour ago by Apple_maths60
Source: 2023 Austrian Federal Competition For Advanced Students, Part 1 p1
Let $a, b, c, d$ be positive reals strictly smaller than $1$, such that $a+b+c+d=2$. Prove that $$\sqrt{(1-a)(1-b)(1-c)(1-d)} \leq \frac{ac+bd}{2}. $$
11 replies
a_507_bc
May 4, 2023
Apple_maths60
an hour ago
Problem 2
blug   3
N an hour ago by Tintarn
Source: Polish Math Olympiad 2025 Finals P2
Positive integers $k, m, n ,p $ integers are such that $p=2^{2^n}+1$ is prime and $p\mid 2^k-m$. Prove that there exists a positive integer $l$ such that $p^2\mid 2^l-m$.
3 replies
blug
Apr 4, 2025
Tintarn
an hour ago
Circle geometry
nAalniaOMliO   2
N an hour ago by Captainscrubz
Source: Belarusian MO 2021
A convex quadrilateral $ABCD$ is given. $\omega_1$ is a circle with diameter $BC$, $\omega_2$ is a circle with diameter $AD$. $AC$ meets $\omega_1$ and $\omega_2$ for the second time at $B_1$ and $D_1$. $BD$ meets $\omega_1$ and $\omega_2$ for the second time at $C_1$ and $A_1$. $AA_1$ meets $DD_1$ at $X$, $BB_1$ meets $CC_1$ at $Y$. $\omega_1$ intersects $\omega_2$ at $P$ and $Q$. $XY$ meets $PQ$ at $N$.
Prove that $XN=NY$.
2 replies
nAalniaOMliO
Apr 16, 2024
Captainscrubz
an hour ago
inequality ( 4 var
SunnyEvan   7
N an hour ago by teomihai
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 : ?
7 replies
SunnyEvan
Apr 4, 2025
teomihai
an hour ago
Inspired by pennypc123456789
sqing   1
N 2 hours ago by lbh_qys
Source: Own
Let $ a,b>0 . $ Prove that
$$\dfrac{1}{a^2+b^2}+\dfrac{1}{4ab} \ge \dfrac{\dfrac{3}{2} +\sqrt 2}{(a+b)^2} $$
1 reply
sqing
2 hours ago
lbh_qys
2 hours ago
Not homogenous
Arne   80
N 2 hours ago by bin_sherlo
Source: APMO 2004
Prove that the inequality \[\left(a^{2}+2\right)\left(b^{2}+2\right)\left(c^{2}+2\right) \geq 9\left(ab+bc+ca\right)\]holds for all positive reals $a$, $b$, $c$.
80 replies
Arne
Mar 23, 2004
bin_sherlo
2 hours ago
fractions question
kjhgyuio   2
N 2 hours ago by Filipjack

........
2 replies
kjhgyuio
2 hours ago
Filipjack
2 hours ago
A hard cyclic one
Sondtmath0x1   2
N 3 hours ago by Sondtmath0x1
Source: unknown
Help me please!
2 replies
Sondtmath0x1
6 hours ago
Sondtmath0x1
3 hours ago
Find < BAC given MB = OI
math163   7
N 4 hours ago by Nari_Tom
Source: Baltic Way 2017 Problem 13
Let $ABC$ be a triangle in which $\angle ABC = 60^{\circ}$. Let $I$ and $O$ be the incentre and circumcentre of $ABC$, respectively. Let $M$ be the midpoint of the arc $BC$ of the circumcircle of $ABC$, which does not contain the point $A$. Determine $\angle BAC$ given that $MB = OI$.
7 replies
math163
Nov 11, 2017
Nari_Tom
4 hours ago
All Russian Olympiad Day 1 P4
Davrbek   13
N 4 hours ago by bin_sherlo
Source: Grade 11 P4
On the sides $AB$ and $AC$ of the triangle $ABC$, the points $P$ and $Q$ are chosen, respectively, so that $PQ\parallel BC$. Segments $BQ$ and $CP$ intersect at point $O$. Point $A'$ is symmetric to point $A$ relative to line $BC$. The segment $A'O$ intersects the circumcircle $w$ of the triangle $APQ$ at the point $S$. Prove that circumcircle of $BSC$ is tangent to the circle $w$.
13 replies
Davrbek
Apr 28, 2018
bin_sherlo
4 hours ago
Geometry
youochange   8
N 4 hours ago by RANDOM__USER
m:}
Let $\triangle ABC$ be a triangle inscribed in a circle, where the tangents to the circle at points $B$ and $C$ intersect at the point $P$. Let $M$ be a point on the arc $AC$ (not containing $B$) such that $M \neq A$ and $M \neq C$. Let the lines $BC$ and $AM$ intersect at point $K$. Let $P'$ be the reflection of $P$ with respect to the line $AM$. The lines $AP'$ and $PM$ intersect at point $Q$, and $PM$ intersects the circumcircle of $\triangle ABC$ again at point $N$.

Prove that the point $Q$ lies on the circumcircle of $\triangle ANK$.
8 replies
youochange
Yesterday at 11:27 AM
RANDOM__USER
4 hours ago
IMO Shortlist 2009 - Problem G4
April   85
N Mar 8, 2025 by amburger
Given a cyclic quadrilateral $ABCD$, let the diagonals $AC$ and $BD$ meet at $E$ and the lines $AD$ and $BC$ meet at $F$. The midpoints of $AB$ and $CD$ are $G$ and $H$, respectively. Show that $EF$ is tangent at $E$ to the circle through the points $E$, $G$ and $H$.

Proposed by David Monk, United Kingdom
85 replies
April
Jul 5, 2010
amburger
Mar 8, 2025
IMO Shortlist 2009 - Problem G4
G H J
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April
1270 posts
#1 • 12 Y
Y by ineX, Davi-8191, Wizard_32, Amir Hossein, HWenslawski, ImSh95, Adventure10, Rounak_iitr, and 4 other users
Given a cyclic quadrilateral $ABCD$, let the diagonals $AC$ and $BD$ meet at $E$ and the lines $AD$ and $BC$ meet at $F$. The midpoints of $AB$ and $CD$ are $G$ and $H$, respectively. Show that $EF$ is tangent at $E$ to the circle through the points $E$, $G$ and $H$.

Proposed by David Monk, United Kingdom
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livetolove212
859 posts
#2 • 24 Y
Y by hongduc_cqt, phantranhuongth, ineX, BuiBaAnh, huricane, GGPiku, naw.ngs, Durjoy1729, HolyMath, Muaaz.SY, nima.sa, HWenslawski, ImSh95, sabkx, Adventure10, Mango247, Yerassyl2008, hairtail, and 6 other users
Solution:
Let $L, M$ be the intersection of $EF$ and $DC$ and $AB. GH$ cuts $EF$ at $J$.
Applying Gauss's line we get $J$ is the midpoint of $EF$.
Since $(FEML)=-1$ then $JE^2=JM.JL. (1)$
On the other side, $(ILDC)=-1$ and $H$ is the midpoint of $DC$ then $IL.IH=ID.IC$. Similarly, $IM.IG=IA.IB$
So $IM.IG=IL.IH$, which follows that $MGHL$ is a cyclic quadrilateral.
Hence $JM.JL=JG.JH (2)$
From $(1)$ and $(2)$ we obtain $JE^2=JG.JH$. We are done.
Attachments:
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daniel73
253 posts
#3 • 4 Y
Y by Number1, char2539, ImSh95, Adventure10
Consider the transformation that takes $AB$ into $CD$ after a reflection on the internal bisector of $\angle AFB$ and a dilation of factor $\frac{FC}{FA}=\frac{FD}{FB}$ (equality holds because $ABCD$ is cyclic, hence $FA\cdot FD=FB\cdot FC$ is the power of $F$ with respect to its circumcircle). This transformation takes $G$ into $H$, and $E$ into $E'$ such that $CE'D$ is similar to $AEB$. But $AEB$ is also similar to $DEC$, or $CE'D$ and $DEC$ are equal, and $CEDE'$ is a parallelogram. Similarly, $E$ is the result of applying the transformation to $E''$ such that $AEBE''$ is a parallelogram. Now, $E',E''$ are on the symmetric to $FE$ with respect to the internal bisector of $\angle AFB$, or $P,E',E''$ are collinear. Note also that $G,H$ are the respective midpoints of $EE',EE''$, or $GH\parallel E'E''$. Now, the transformation preserves angles, or $\angle FEG=\angle FE'H=\angle E''E'E=\angle GHE$, and by semiinscribed angles, the conclusion follows.
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MJ GEO
304 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
April wrote:
Given a cyclic quadrilateral $ABCD$, let the diagonals $AC$ and $BD$ meet at $E$ and the lines $AD$ and $BC$ meet at $F$. The midpoints of $AB$ and $CD$ are $G$ and $H$, respectively. Show that $EF$ is tangent at $E$ to the circle through the points $E$, $G$ and $H$.
It was posted before here. :)

Best regards,
Majid.
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TheStrayCat
161 posts
#5 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, ehuseyinyigit
As a matter of fact, exactly this problem (though with another designaions) had been proposed at an olympiad in St. Petersburg (10th grade, problem 7) several months before the shortlist was formed (14.12.2008). Can anyone comment on this coincidence, and how come that the problem from quite a well-known competition managed to pass all checks and had real chances to be posed to those who had been solving it before?

Translation of the official wording from Russian:
A circle passing through points $A$ and $C$ of a triangle $ABC$ intersects its sides $AB$ and $BC$ at points $Y$ and $X$ respectively. The segments $AX$ and $CY$ intersect at a point $O$. Let $M$ and $N$ be the midponits of the segments $AC$ and $XY$. Prove that the line $BO$ is tangent to the circumcircle of $MON$.
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daniel73
253 posts
#6 • 12 Y
Y by v_Enhance, Olympikus, CyclicISLscelesTrapezoid, khina, sabkx, Adventure10, Mango247, and 5 other users
BlackMax wrote:
As a matter of fact, exactly this problem (though with another designaions) had been proposed at an olympiad in St. Petersburg (10th grade, problem 7) several months before the shortlist was formed (14.12.2008). Can anyone comment on this coincidence, and how come that the problem from quite a well-known competition managed to pass all checks and had real chances to be posed to those who had been solving it before?
I was in the Problem Selection Committee for the 2008 IMO in Madrid. We looked everywhere for precedents in competitions, magazines or online site (such as this one) of the longlisted problems. We scratched quite a few problems due to the fact that, either the exact problem, or a subtle variation which introduced no concept variation, had already been proposed/published/solved. Imagine our distress and shame when it was pointed out that still a couple of shortlisted problems (I don't remember exactly whether 2 or 3) had in fact been proposed in some competition; at least, these problems had not been given a wide exposure to the public and, if I remember correctly, no online source for the material could be quoted, just the booklet from the competition; nonetheless we learnt the hard way that it is close to impossible to check everything... there is just too much material out there (which is great for students preparing themselves for the competition, but not for submission of original problems). The only thing that can be done is, when you are on a PSC or Jury, do your best in order to find the problems that, through happenstance or just plain bad will (I will always prefere to believe in the first case if I do not have enough evidence against - innocent until proven guilty), slipped into the longlist/shorlist. And of course, encourage fair play with your own example...

There is something else that also distresses me quite a bit: shortlists are supposed to be kept secret until the following year's IMO, but we find here and there these problems breaking out into the open. I think shortlist problems are a very valuable material for student training/selection (heck, I use it!), but whenever such a problem is used, it should be made sure that the students who are exposed to them, know very well that it is "top-secret" stuff and should not be discussed or commented outside of the team... And just for the sake of extra security, I only work with students on the previous year IMO shortlist about 1-2 weeks before the following IMO...
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mgao
1599 posts
#7 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
livetolove212 wrote:
$(FEML)=-1$
How do we know that M and L are conjugate points? Is this just a well-known fact?
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dnkywin
699 posts
#8 • 8 Y
Y by Blitzkrieg97, Pi-is-3, HolyMath, anyone__42, Adventure10, Mango247, ehuseyinyigit, and 1 other user
Sorry to revive this topic, but I suddenly felt the urge to post the solution to this problem that I came up with during a test at MOP.

WLOG let $E,F$ be on opposite sides of $AB$, and let $E$ be closer to $BC$ than to $AD$. Let line $EF$ intersect lines $AB$ and $CD$ at $J$ and $K$, respectively.

Now, if we can prove that $\frac{\sin \angle GHE}{\sin \angle HGE}=\frac{\sin\angle GEJ}{\sin\angle HEK}$, then we are done, since for fixed $0<\alpha<\pi$, $\frac{\sin x}{\sin( \alpha-x)}$ is increasing, so the above would imply that $\angle GHE=\angle GEJ$, or that $EF$ is tangent to the circumcircle of $GEH$.

Thus we will now try to prove that
\[\frac{\sin \angle GHE}{\sin \angle HGE}=\frac{\sin\angle GEJ}{\sin\angle HEK}\]
We know that $\Delta FAB$ is similar to $\Delta FCD$, $\Delta FAC$ is similar to $\Delta FBD$, and $\Delta AED$ is similar to $\Delta BEC$. Also, By Ceva's theorem,
\[\frac{GJ}{JB}=\frac12\left(\frac{AJ}{JB}-1\right)=\frac12\left(\frac{CF\cdot DA}{BC\cdot FD}-1\right)=\frac{CF\cdot DA-BC\dot FD}{2BC\cdot FD}\]
Similarly,
\[\frac{HK}{KC}=\frac{AD\cdot BF - FA\cdot CB}{2FA\cdot CB}\]
Now we have:
\begin{eqnarray}
1&=&\left(\frac{FB}{FD}\right)^2\left(\frac{FD}{FB}\right)^2\\
&=&\frac{FB^2-FA^2}{FD^2-FC^2}\cdot\frac{FB}{FD}\cdot\left(\frac{FD}{FB}\right)^3\\
&=&\frac{FA(FD-FA)-FB(FC-FB)}{FD(FD-FA)-FC(FC-FB)}\cdot\frac{FB}{FD}\cdot\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^3\\
&=&\frac{FA\cdot DA-BC\cdot FB}{AD\cdot AF-FC\cdot CB}\cdot\frac{FB}{FD}\cdot\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^3\\
&=&\frac{\frac{CD}{AB}\left(FA\cdot DA-BC\cdot FB\right)}{\frac{AB}{CD}\left(AD\cdot AF-FC\cdot CB\right)}\cdot\frac{FB}{FD}\cdot\frac{CD}{AB}\\
&=&\frac{CF\cdot DA-BC\cdot FD}{AD\cdot BF-FA\cdot CB}\cdot\frac{FA}{FD}\cdot\frac{FB}{FA}\cdot\frac{CD}{AB}\\
&=&\frac{\frac{CF\cdot DA-BC\cdot FD}{2BC\cdot FB}}{\frac{AD\cdot BF-FA\cdot CB}{2FA\cdot BC}}\cdot\frac{FB}{FA}\cdot\frac{CD}{AB}\\
&=&\frac{\frac{JG}{BJ}}{\frac{KH}{CK}}\cdot\frac{FB}{FA}\cdot\frac{CD}{AB}\\
&=&\frac{BE}{CE}\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^2\cdot\frac{\frac{JG}{BJ}}{\frac{KH}{CK}}\cdot\frac{\frac{FB\sin\angle FBE}{EF}}{\frac{FA\sin\angle FAE}{EF}}\\
&=&\frac{BE}{CE}\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^2\cdot\frac{\frac{JG}{BJ}}{\frac{KH}{CK}}\cdot\frac{\sin\angle JEB}{\sin\angle AEJ}\\
&=&\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^2\cdot\frac{JG}{KH}\cdot\frac{\frac{BE\sin\angle JEB}{BJ}}{\frac{CE\sin\angle KEC}{CK}}\\
&=&\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^2\cdot\frac{JG}{KH}\cdot\frac{\sin\angle BJE}{\sin\angle CKE}\\
&=&\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\right)^2\cdot\frac{JG}{KH}\cdot\frac{\sin\angle GJE}{\sin\angle HKE}\\
&=&\left(\frac{CD}{AB}\cdot\frac{GE}{HE}\right)^2\cdot\frac{HE}{GE}\cdot\frac{\frac{JG\sin\angle GJE}{GE}}{\frac{KH\sin\angle HKE}{HE}}\\
&=&\frac{\frac{\sin\angle GEJ}{\sin\angle HEK}}{\frac{\sin\angle GHE}{\sin\angle HGE}}
\end{eqnarray}
so we are done.

Notes: steps 9,10,11,12,14, and 15 use the law of sines; step 9 follows from the fact that $\Delta AED$ is similar to $\Delta BEC$; step 15 followes from the fact that $HE$ and $GE$ are the corresponding medians in similar triangles $\Delta DEC$ and $\Delta AEB$.
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sunken rock
4379 posts
#9 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Take the relation (4) from http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=202546&hilit=Ptolemy and apply it to the quadrilateral $DECF$ and get $\frac{GJ}{HJ}=\left(\frac{GE}{HE}\right)^2$, i.e. $FE$ is tangent to circle $(EGH)$. Here $J$ is the midpoint of $EF$ and, as per Gauss line theorem $G, E$ and $J$ are collinear.


Best regards,
sunken rock
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Zhero
2043 posts
#10 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
mgao wrote:
How do we know that M and L are conjugate points? Is this just a well-known fact?
Let $IE$ hit $BC$ at $X$. $-1 = (F,X; B,C) = I(F,X; B,C) = I(F, E; M, L) = (F, E; M, L)$.
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sunken rock
4379 posts
#11 • 3 Y
Y by Blitzkrieg97, Adventure10, and 1 other user
The subject problem has been proposed at a Romanian contest as well; its outstanding official solution can be read here: http://forum.gil.ro/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=255&p=400#p400 .
I hope none of you will face problems in understanding; if there is the case, I might translate it.

Best regards,
sunken rock
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daniel73
253 posts
#12 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
sunken rock wrote:
The subject problem has been proposed at a Romanian contest as well; its outstanding official solution can be read here: http://forum.gil.ro/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=255&p=400#p400 .
I hope none of you will face problems in understanding; if there is the case, I might translate it.

Best regards,
sunken rock

Very beautiful solution indeed, thanks for the link!
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ConcaveCircle
5 posts
#13 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
This is my solution, I rather like it.
Let $O$ be the circumcenter of $ABCD$. Let the intersection of $AB$ and $CD$ be $X$.

Lemma: The polar of $X$ with respect to the circumcircle of $ABCD$ is $FE$.
Proof: Consider $G'$ and $H'$, the poles of $AB$ and $CD$ respectively, which lie on the polar of $X$. By Pascal's Theorem on $AACBBD$ and $CCADDB$, we have that $E, F, G', H'$ are collinear.

We invert around $O$. Let the images of $A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,X$ be $A', B'...$and so on, respectively. We want to show that the circumcircles of $XOE'$ and $E'G'H'$ are tangent, since inversion preserve tangency.

Let the foot of the perpendicular from E' to XO be Z. Let the pole of $E'Z$ be $Y$. Let $E'Y$ intersect $CD$ at $K$, whose image after inversion about $O$ is $K'$.
The circumcenter $K'$ of $E'G'H'$ is the intersection of $CD$ and the perpendicular bisector of $E'H'$. Let $Y'$ be the intersection of $EH'$ and $ZO$.
$EKHO$ and $E'ZK'O$ are cyclic because $\angle{OEK}, \angle{OHK}, \angle{E'ZO}, \angle{E'K'O}$ are right, and thus,
$\angle{EYO} = \angle{EKO} + \angle{YOK}=\angle{EHO} + \angle{ZE'Y'} =\angle{OE'Y'} + \angle{ZE'Y'}=\angle{EE'Z}=\angle{EY'O}$
Thus $Y'=Y$, and so $E', Y, K'$ collinear $\Rightarrow E', Z, K$ collinear.
Since $Z,K$ are the circumcenters of $XOE'$ and $E'G'H'$, and $E'$ is a common point, $E'$ is their point of tangency, and we are done.
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RaleD
118 posts
#14 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
New points: $O$ center of the circle $(ABCD)$, $X,Y$ intersections of tangents in $C, D$ and $A,B$ on $(ABCD)$, $N, M$ intersections of $XY$ with $CD$ and $AB$, $P$ interesection of $CD$ and $AB$, $T$ intersection $XY$ and $OP$.
It is known that $XY$ passes through $E$ and that $XY$ is polar of $P$ with respect to $(ABCD)$.
We will show that $HNMG$ is cyclic. This is enough because then $ \angle HEN= \angle ENC - \angle EHN= \angle HGM - \angle EGM = \angle HGE $.
Now we have $ \angle OGM=\frac {\pi}{2}= \angle OTM$ so $OTMG$ is cyclic. Similar $OTNH$ is cyclic. So we have
$PM \cdot PG=PT \cdot PO=PN \cdot PH$; $PM \cdot PG=PN \cdot PH$ and we have $HNMG$ is cyclic.
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swaqar
208 posts
#15 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I was just wondering about this problem and tried to solve it with spiral symmetries; it revealed many facts about spiral centres. Here is the solution ..

Consider the spiral symmetry with centre $ S $ which sends $ A $ to $ D $ , $ B $ to $ C $ . $ GE \cap CD  = H' $ and $ HE \cap AB = G' $, $ AB \cap CD =  I $ then.

It is well-known that $ S $ lies on polar $ e = IF$ of $ E $ and is the inverse of $ E$ in circumcircle of $ ABCD $ . Clearly, $ S \in $ the circle $ \gamma $ passing through $ E $ , $ B $ and $ A $.

$ \textit{Lemma 1.} $ The tangent $ t $ to the circle $ \gamma $ at $ S $ and the line $ l $ parallel though $ CD $, passing through $ E $ intersect at $ AB$.
$ \textit{Proof:} $ The line $ l $ is tangent to the circumcircle $ \omega  $ of $ \triangle AEB $. Let $ l\cap t = U $. Line $ AB $ is the radical axis of circles $ \gamma $ and $ \omega_{1} $ so it's enough to show that $ US = UE $.
Then, $ \angle ESU =  ESI -   \angle USI =    \angle FSU - 90   =  \angle FSA + \angle ASU  - 90 =$
$  \angle CBA +   \angle AFS - 90 =  \angle IDA + AFS -90 =  \angle DFI  +  \angle IDF  - 90  = 90 - \angle FID $.
We use oriented angles to avoid case work.
Also, $ \angle  UES =  \angle IVS = 180 - \angle VSI - \angle SIV =  90 - \angle SIB = 90 -  \angle FID $
and this proves the lemma.

$ \textit{ Lemma 2. } $ Lines $ SG' $ and $ FE $ intersect at $ E' $ , $ E'$ on the circle $ \gamma $ .
$ \textit { Proof : } $ Let $ FE  \cap \gamma = E'$. The bundle $  ( FI , FE ; FA , FB  )  $ is harmonic and so is the quadrilateral $ S E' A B$. For triangle $ BEA $, lines $ EG'$ and $ EU$ are respectively, the symmedian and tangent to $ \omega $ at $ E $, so the range $  ( U , G' ; A ,  B ) $ is harmonic and so is the bundle $ ( SU , SG' ; SA , SB )$ and so intersecting this bundle with $ \gamma $ gives a harmonic quadrilateral $ S G'' A   B $ and so $ G'' = E' $ which proves the lemma.

We now prove the main result. Let $ H'G' $ intersect $ CB $ in $ X$ . Since the initial spiral symmetry also sends $ G'$ to $ H'$, the four points $ X$ , $ B$ , $ G' $ and $ S $ lie on a circle, so $ \angle G'SB = G'XB $. As, $ SE'BF $ is cyclic, $  \angle G'SB = \angle E'SB =   \angle E'FB =   \angle EFB $.

So, $  \angle  G X ' B     =  \angle EFB $ which implies that the antiparallel to $ GH $ in triangle $  HEG $ is parallel to $ EF $ which completes the proof.
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