Happy Memorial Day! Please note that AoPS Online is closed May 24-26th.

G
Topic
First Poster
Last Poster
k a May Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
May 1, 2025
May is an exciting month! National MATHCOUNTS is the second week of May in Washington D.C. and our Founder, Richard Rusczyk will be presenting a seminar, Preparing Strong Math Students for College and Careers, on May 11th.

Are you interested in working towards MATHCOUNTS and don’t know where to start? We have you covered! If you have taken Prealgebra, then you are ready for MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics. Already aiming for State or National MATHCOUNTS and harder AMC 8 problems? Then our MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Advanced course is for you.

Summer camps are starting next month at the Virtual Campus in math and language arts that are 2 - to 4 - weeks in duration. Spaces are still available - don’t miss your chance to have an enriching summer experience. There are middle and high school competition math camps as well as Math Beasts camps that review key topics coupled with fun explorations covering areas such as graph theory (Math Beasts Camp 6), cryptography (Math Beasts Camp 7-8), and topology (Math Beasts Camp 8-9)!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following upcoming events:
[list][*]May 9th, 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, Casework 2: Overwhelming Evidence — A Text Adventure, a game where participants will work together to navigate the map, solve puzzles, and win! All are welcome.
[*]May 19th, 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET, What's Next After Beast Academy?, designed for students finishing Beast Academy and ready for Prealgebra 1.
[*]May 20th, 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Mathcamp 2025 Qualifying Quiz Part 1 Math Jam, Problems 1 to 4, join the Canada/USA Mathcamp staff for this exciting Math Jam, where they discuss solutions to Problems 1 to 4 of the 2025 Mathcamp Qualifying Quiz!
[*]May 21st, 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Mathcamp 2025 Qualifying Quiz Part 2 Math Jam, Problems 5 and 6, Canada/USA Mathcamp staff will discuss solutions to Problems 5 and 6 of the 2025 Mathcamp Qualifying Quiz![/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.

Introductory: Grades 5-10

Prealgebra 1 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 1
Tuesday, May 13 - Aug 26
Thursday, May 29 - Sep 11
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Monday, Jun 30 - Oct 20
Wednesday, Jul 16 - Oct 29

Prealgebra 2 Self-Paced

Prealgebra 2
Wednesday, May 7 - Aug 20
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 29 - Oct 26
Friday, Jul 25 - Nov 21

Introduction to Algebra A Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra A
Sunday, May 11 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Wednesday, May 14 - Aug 27
Friday, May 30 - Sep 26
Monday, Jun 2 - Sep 22
Sunday, Jun 15 - Oct 12
Thursday, Jun 26 - Oct 9
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Oct 28

Introduction to Counting & Probability Self-Paced

Introduction to Counting & Probability
Thursday, May 15 - Jul 31
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Wednesday, Jul 9 - Sep 24
Sunday, Jul 27 - Oct 19

Introduction to Number Theory
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Monday, Jun 9 - Aug 25
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Tuesday, Jul 15 - Sep 30

Introduction to Algebra B Self-Paced

Introduction to Algebra B
Tuesday, May 6 - Aug 19
Wednesday, Jun 4 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Oct 19
Friday, Jul 18 - Nov 14

Introduction to Geometry
Sunday, May 11 - Nov 9
Tuesday, May 20 - Oct 28
Monday, Jun 16 - Dec 8
Friday, Jun 20 - Jan 9
Sunday, Jun 29 - Jan 11
Monday, Jul 14 - Jan 19

Paradoxes and Infinity
Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs, Jul 14 - Jul 16 (meets every day of the week!)

Intermediate: Grades 8-12

Intermediate Algebra
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 23
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Nov 18
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 10
Sunday, Jul 13 - Jan 18
Thursday, Jul 24 - Jan 22

Intermediate Counting & Probability
Wednesday, May 21 - Sep 17
Sunday, Jun 22 - Nov 2

Intermediate Number Theory
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Wednesday, Jun 18 - Sep 3

Precalculus
Friday, May 16 - Oct 24
Sunday, Jun 1 - Nov 9
Monday, Jun 30 - Dec 8

Advanced: Grades 9-12

Olympiad Geometry
Tuesday, Jun 10 - Aug 26

Calculus
Tuesday, May 27 - Nov 11
Wednesday, Jun 25 - Dec 17

Group Theory
Thursday, Jun 12 - Sep 11

Contest Preparation: Grades 6-12

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Basics
Friday, May 23 - Aug 15
Monday, Jun 2 - Aug 18
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

MATHCOUNTS/AMC 8 Advanced
Sunday, May 11 - Aug 10
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Problem Series
Friday, May 9 - Aug 1
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15
Tues & Thurs, Jul 8 - Aug 14 (meets twice a week!)

AMC 10 Final Fives
Sunday, May 11 - Jun 8
Tuesday, May 27 - Jun 17
Monday, Jun 30 - Jul 21

AMC 12 Problem Series
Tuesday, May 27 - Aug 12
Thursday, Jun 12 - Aug 28
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21
Wednesday, Aug 6 - Oct 22

AMC 12 Final Fives
Sunday, May 18 - Jun 15

AIME Problem Series A
Thursday, May 22 - Jul 31

AIME Problem Series B
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 21

F=ma Problem Series
Wednesday, Jun 11 - Aug 27

WOOT Programs
Visit the pages linked for full schedule details for each of these programs!


MathWOOT Level 1
MathWOOT Level 2
ChemWOOT
CodeWOOT
PhysicsWOOT

Programming

Introduction to Programming with Python
Thursday, May 22 - Aug 7
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14 (1:00 - 2:30 pm ET/10:00 - 11:30 am PT)
Tuesday, Jun 17 - Sep 2
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

Intermediate Programming with Python
Sunday, Jun 1 - Aug 24
Monday, Jun 30 - Sep 22

USACO Bronze Problem Series
Tuesday, May 13 - Jul 29
Sunday, Jun 22 - Sep 1

Physics

Introduction to Physics
Wednesday, May 21 - Aug 6
Sunday, Jun 15 - Sep 14
Monday, Jun 23 - Sep 15

Physics 1: Mechanics
Thursday, May 22 - Oct 30
Monday, Jun 23 - Dec 15

Relativity
Mon, Tue, Wed & Thurs, Jun 23 - Jun 26 (meets every day of the week!)
0 replies
jlacosta
May 1, 2025
0 replies
2025 Beijing High School Mathematics Competition Q9
sqing   0
7 minutes ago
Source: China
Let $ a,b,c,d >0  $ and $ (a^2+b^2+c^2)(b^2+c^2+d^2)=36. $ Find the maximum value of $a^2d.$
0 replies
+1 w
sqing
7 minutes ago
0 replies
most bruh geo you can imagineeeeeeeeeeeeee
ItzsleepyXD   1
N 11 minutes ago by Funcshun840
Source: bruhhhhhh
Let $ABC$ be triangle with $AC>AB$ and $B'$ on the segment $AC$ such that $AB=AB'$ . Consider point $E,F$ on $AB,AC$ such that $EF \parallel BB'$ . Point $T$ is the intersection of tangent line through point $E,F$ to circle $(EBC),(FBC)$ respectively . If the tangent through point $B'$ to $(BB'C)$ intersect $AB$ at $K$ . Line $KT$ intersect $BC$ at $D$ . Prove that $AD$ bisect $\angle BAC$ .
1 reply
2 viewing
ItzsleepyXD
Today at 6:52 AM
Funcshun840
11 minutes ago
2025 Guangdong High School Mathematics Competition Q14
sqing   0
12 minutes ago
Source: China
Let $ x_1, x_2, x_3, x_4, x_5\geq 0 $ and $ x^2_1+x^2_2+x^2_3+ x^2_4+ x^2_5=4. $ Find the maximum value of
$\sum_{i=1}^5 \frac{1}{x_i+1} \sum_{i=1}^5 x_i .$
0 replies
sqing
12 minutes ago
0 replies
Nice "if and only if" function problem
ICE_CNME_4   5
N 15 minutes ago by wh0nix
Let $f : [0, \infty) \to [0, \infty)$, $f(x) = \dfrac{ax + b}{cx + d}$, with $a, d \in (0, \infty)$, $b, c \in [0, \infty)$. Prove that there exists $n \in \mathbb{N}^*$ such that for every $x \geq 0$
\[
f_n(x) = \frac{x}{1 + nx}, \quad \text{if and only if } f(x) = \frac{x}{1 + x}, \quad \forall x \geq 0.
\](For $n \in \mathbb{N}^*$ and $x \geq 0$, the notation $f_n(x)$ represents $\underbrace{(f \circ f \circ \dots \circ f)}_{n \text{ times}}(x)$. )

Please do it at 9th grade level. Thank you!
5 replies
ICE_CNME_4
Yesterday at 7:23 PM
wh0nix
15 minutes ago
No more topics!
Find the triangles
Rushil   6
N Nov 28, 2005 by Rushil
Source: Indian Postal Coaching 2005
Characterize all triangles $ABC$ s.t.
\[ AI_a : BI_b : CI_c = BC: CA : AB  \] where $I_a$ etc. are the corresponding excentres to the vertices $A, B , C$
6 replies
Rushil
Sep 22, 2005
Rushil
Nov 28, 2005
Find the triangles
G H J
Source: Indian Postal Coaching 2005
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Rushil
1592 posts
#1 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, Mango247
Characterize all triangles $ABC$ s.t.
\[ AI_a : BI_b : CI_c = BC: CA : AB  \] where $I_a$ etc. are the corresponding excentres to the vertices $A, B , C$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Rushil, Oct 15, 2005, 1:49 PM
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
socrates
2105 posts
#2 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I think there is the following relation, isn't it??

$sin\frac{A}{2}=\frac{r_a}{AI_a}$ where $r_a$ is the radious of the excircle!!

Now if we substitute and use $r_a=p \cdot  tg\frac{A}{2}$
I think we find that it is equilateral!

:)
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Rushil
1592 posts
#3 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I believe we get some more cases-- not sure!!!
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Virgil Nicula
7054 posts
#4 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
$\cos \frac A2=\frac {s}{AI_a}\Longleftrightarrow AI_a=\frac {s}{\cos \frac A2}$. Thus, $\frac {AI_a}{a}=\frac {BI_b}{b}=\frac {CI_c}{c}\Longleftrightarrow a\cos \frac A2=b\cos \frac B2=c\cos \frac C2\Longleftrightarrow $
$a^3(s-a)=b^3(s-b)=c^3(s-c)\Longleftrightarrow a=b=c.$
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
darij grinberg
6555 posts
#5 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, and 1 other user
There are indeed "some more cases", what is because $a^3\left(s-a\right)=b^3\left(s-b\right)=c^3\left(s-c\right)$ does not imply a = b = c.

Anyway, let me give a complete solution of the problem.

Theorem 1. Let ABC be a triangle, and let $I_a$, $I_b$ and $I_c$ be the centers of its A-excircle, B-excircle and C-excircle, respectively. Then, we have

$AI_a: BI_b: CI_c=a: b: c$

if and only if

- either a = b = c,
- or b = c and $a=\frac{1+\sqrt5}{2}b$,
- or c = a and $b=\frac{1+\sqrt5}{2}c$,
- or a = b and $c=\frac{1+\sqrt5}{2}a$.


Proof of Theorem 1. First, let's consider an arbitrary triangle ABC.

Let the A-excircle of triangle ABC touch the line CA at a point T. Then, since $I_a$ is the center of this A-excircle, $I_aT\perp CA$, so the triangle $I_aTA$ is right-angled at T; also, $\measuredangle I_aAT=\frac{A}{2}$ (since the point $I_a$, being the center of the A-excircle of triangle ABC, lies on the angle bisector of the angle CAB), and AT = s, where $s= \frac{a+b+c}{2}$ is the semiperimeter of triangle ABC. Thus, in the right-angled triangle $I_aTA$, we have $AI_a=\frac{AT}{\cos\measuredangle I_aAT}$, so that $AI_a=\frac{s}{\cos\frac{A}{2}}$. But by the half-angle formulas, $\cos\frac{A}{2}=\sqrt{\frac{s\left(s-a\right)}{bc}}$. Thus,

$AI_a=\frac{s}{\sqrt{\frac{s\left(s-a\right)}{bc}}}=\sqrt{\frac{sabc}{a\left(s-a\right)}}$.

Similarly, $BI_b=\sqrt{\frac{sabc}{b\left(s-b\right)}}$ and $CI_c=\sqrt{\frac{sabc}{c\left(s-c\right)}}$. Hence, we can equivalently transform the relation $AI_a: BI_b: CI_c=a: b: c$ as follows:

$AI_a: BI_b: CI_c=a: b: c$
$\Longleftrightarrow\ \ \ \ \ \sqrt{\frac{sabc}{a\left(s-a\right)}}: \sqrt{\frac{sabc}{b\left(s-b\right)}}: \sqrt{\frac{sabc}{c\left(s-c\right)}}=a: b: c$
$\Longleftrightarrow\ \ \ \ \ \sqrt{\frac{1}{a\left(s-a\right)}}: \sqrt{\frac{1}{b\left(s-b\right)}}: \sqrt{\frac{1}{c\left(s-c\right)}}=a: b: c$
$\Longleftrightarrow\ \ \ \ \ \frac{1}{a\left(s-a\right)}: \frac{1}{b\left(s-b\right)}: \frac{1}{c\left(s-c\right)}=a^2: b^2: c^2$
$\Longleftrightarrow\ \ \ \ \ 1: 1: 1=\left(a^3\left(s-a\right)\right): \left(b^3\left(s-b\right)\right): \left(c^3\left(s-c\right)\right)$
$\Longleftrightarrow\ \ \ \ \ a^3\left(s-a\right)=b^3\left(s-b\right)=c^3\left(s-c\right)$.

Since $s-a=\frac{a+b+c}{2}-a=\frac{b+c-a}{2}$ and similarly $s-b=\frac{c+a-b}{2}$ and $s-c=\frac{a+b-c}{2}$, this becomes

$a^3\left(b+c-a\right)=b^3\left(c+a-b\right)=c^3\left(a+b-c\right)$.

Now, let ABC be a triangle satisfying the condition $AI_a: BI_b: CI_c=a: b: c$. Then, we must therefore have $a^3\left(b+c-a\right)=b^3\left(c+a-b\right)=c^3\left(a+b-c\right)$. Now, since our situation is symmetric, we can WLOG assume that $a\geq b\geq c$. Since $b^3\left(c+a-b\right)=c^3\left(a+b-c\right)$, we have

$0=b^3\left(c+a-b\right)-c^3\left(a+b-c\right)=a\left(b^3-c^3\right)-\left(b^4-c^4-b^3c+c^3b\right)$
$=a\left(b^2+bc+c^2\right)\left(b-c\right)-\left(b^3+c^3\right)\left(b-c\right)$
$=\left(a\left(b^2+bc+c^2\right)-\left(b^3+c^3\right)\right)\left(b-c\right)$.

Now,

$a\left(b^2+bc+c^2\right)-\left(b^3+c^3\right)=\underbrace{\left(a-b\right)}_{\geq 0\text{, since }a\geq b}b^2+\underbrace{\left(a-c\right)}_{\geq 0\text{, since }a\geq c}c^2+\underbrace{abc}_{>0}>0$;

thus, we must have b - c = 0, so that b = c. Hence, the equation $a^3\left(b+c-a\right)=b^3\left(c+a-b\right)$ becomes $a^3\left(b+b-a\right)=b^3\left(b+a-b\right)$, i. e. $a^3\left(2b-a\right)=b^3a$. Division by a transforms this into $a^2\left(2b-a\right)=b^3$, and thus

$0=a^2\left(2b-a\right)-b^3=\left(a-b\right)\left(ab-a^2+b^2\right)$.

Hence, either a - b = 0, what leads to a = b and thus to a = b = c, or $ab-a^2+b^2=0$, what is a quadratic equation in a and has the solutions $a=\frac{1+\sqrt5}{2}b$ and $a=\frac{1-\sqrt5}{2}b$, of which the second one can be excluded since it is negative (and sidelengths of a triangle cannot be negative), so we get the solution b = c and $a=\frac{1+\sqrt5}{2}b$. The other solutions can be obtained similarly (we WLOG assumed that $a\geq b\geq c$ and thus didn't get the cyclic permutations). By tracing the above argumentation backwards, we see that these solutions are indeed solutions.

Theorem 1 is proven.

Darij
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Virgil Nicula
7054 posts
#6 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Darij, you are true. I was negligently (it is regrettably !) I will prove that at least two between $a,b,c$ are equally, i.e. $(a-b)(b-c)(c-a)=0$. Thus,
$a\ne b\ne c\ne a\ \wedge \ a^3(b+c-a)=b^3(c+a-b)=c^3(a+b-c)\Longrightarrow$
$a^3+b^3=c(a^2+ab+b^2),\ b^3+c^3=a(b^2+bc+c^2),\ c^3+a^3=b(c^2+ca+a^2)\Longrightarrow$
$a^2+b^2+c^2=0$, what is absurd. Therefore, $a=b\ \vee\ b=c\ \vee\ c=a$ a.s.o.
Z K Y
The post below has been deleted. Click to close.
This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.
Rushil
1592 posts
#7 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Adventure10, Mango247
Ya , darij! I got the same answers... Those were the other cases I was talking about above!
Z K Y
N Quick Reply
G
H
=
a