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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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April 9th (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Learn about Video-based Summer Camps at the Virtual Campus
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[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/list]
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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
USAMO 2002 Problem 4
MithsApprentice   89
N 31 minutes ago by blueprimes
Let $\mathbb{R}$ be the set of real numbers. Determine all functions $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ such that \[ f(x^2 - y^2) = x f(x) - y f(y)  \] for all pairs of real numbers $x$ and $y$.
89 replies
MithsApprentice
Sep 30, 2005
blueprimes
31 minutes ago
pqr/uvw convert
Nguyenhuyen_AG   8
N an hour ago by Victoria_Discalceata1
Source: https://github.com/nguyenhuyenag/pqr_convert
Hi everyone,
As we know, the pqr/uvw method is a powerful and useful tool for proving inequalities. However, transforming an expression $f(a,b,c)$ into $f(p,q,r)$ or $f(u,v,w)$ can sometimes be quite complex. That's why I’ve written a program to assist with this process.
I hope you’ll find it helpful!

Download: pqr_convert

Screenshot:
IMAGE
IMAGE
8 replies
1 viewing
Nguyenhuyen_AG
Apr 19, 2025
Victoria_Discalceata1
an hour ago
Inspired by hlminh
sqing   2
N an hour ago by SPQ
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c $ be real numbers such that $ a^2+b^2+c^2=1. $ Prove that $$ |a-kb|+|b-kc|+|c-ka|\leq \sqrt{3k^2+2k+3}$$Where $ k\geq 0 . $
2 replies
sqing
Yesterday at 4:43 AM
SPQ
an hour ago
A cyclic inequality
KhuongTrang   3
N an hour ago by KhuongTrang
Source: own-CRUX
IMAGE
https://cms.math.ca/.../uploads/2025/04/Wholeissue_51_4.pdf
3 replies
KhuongTrang
Monday at 4:18 PM
KhuongTrang
an hour ago
Tiling rectangle with smaller rectangles.
MarkBcc168   60
N an hour ago by cursed_tangent1434
Source: IMO Shortlist 2017 C1
A rectangle $\mathcal{R}$ with odd integer side lengths is divided into small rectangles with integer side lengths. Prove that there is at least one among the small rectangles whose distances from the four sides of $\mathcal{R}$ are either all odd or all even.

Proposed by Jeck Lim, Singapore
60 replies
MarkBcc168
Jul 10, 2018
cursed_tangent1434
an hour ago
ALGEBRA INEQUALITY
Tony_stark0094   2
N an hour ago by Sedro
$a,b,c > 0$ Prove that $$\frac{a^2+bc}{b+c} + \frac{b^2+ac}{a+c} + \frac {c^2 + ab}{a+b} \geq a+b+c$$
2 replies
Tony_stark0094
2 hours ago
Sedro
an hour ago
Checking a summand property for integers sufficiently large.
DinDean   2
N 2 hours ago by DinDean
For any fixed integer $m\geqslant 2$, prove that there exists a positive integer $f(m)$, such that for any integer $n\geqslant f(m)$, $n$ can be expressed by a sum of positive integers $a_i$'s as
\[n=a_1+a_2+\dots+a_m,\]where $a_1\mid a_2$, $a_2\mid a_3$, $\dots$, $a_{m-1}\mid a_m$ and $1\leqslant a_1<a_2<\dots<a_m$.
2 replies
DinDean
Yesterday at 5:21 PM
DinDean
2 hours ago
Bunnies hopping around in circles
popcorn1   22
N 2 hours ago by awesomeming327.
Source: USA December TST for IMO 2023, Problem 1 and USA TST for EGMO 2023, Problem 1
There are $2022$ equally spaced points on a circular track $\gamma$ of circumference $2022$. The points are labeled $A_1, A_2, \ldots, A_{2022}$ in some order, each label used once. Initially, Bunbun the Bunny begins at $A_1$. She hops along $\gamma$ from $A_1$ to $A_2$, then from $A_2$ to $A_3$, until she reaches $A_{2022}$, after which she hops back to $A_1$. When hopping from $P$ to $Q$, she always hops along the shorter of the two arcs $\widehat{PQ}$ of $\gamma$; if $\overline{PQ}$ is a diameter of $\gamma$, she moves along either semicircle.

Determine the maximal possible sum of the lengths of the $2022$ arcs which Bunbun traveled, over all possible labellings of the $2022$ points.

Kevin Cong
22 replies
1 viewing
popcorn1
Dec 12, 2022
awesomeming327.
2 hours ago
Iran second round 2025-q1
mohsen   4
N 2 hours ago by MathLuis
Find all positive integers n>2 such that sum of n and any of its prime divisors is a perfect square.
4 replies
mohsen
Apr 19, 2025
MathLuis
2 hours ago
Dear Sqing: So Many Inequalities...
hashtagmath   37
N 2 hours ago by hashtagmath
I have noticed thousands upon thousands of inequalities that you have posted to HSO and was wondering where you get the inspiration, imagination, and even the validation that such inequalities are true? Also, what do you find particularly appealing and important about specifically inequalities rather than other branches of mathematics? Thank you :)
37 replies
hashtagmath
Oct 30, 2024
hashtagmath
2 hours ago
integer functional equation
ABCDE   148
N 3 hours ago by Jakjjdm
Source: 2015 IMO Shortlist A2
Determine all functions $f:\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Z}$ with the property that \[f(x-f(y))=f(f(x))-f(y)-1\]holds for all $x,y\in\mathbb{Z}$.
148 replies
ABCDE
Jul 7, 2016
Jakjjdm
3 hours ago
IMO Shortlist 2013, Number Theory #1
lyukhson   152
N 3 hours ago by Jakjjdm
Source: IMO Shortlist 2013, Number Theory #1
Let $\mathbb{Z} _{>0}$ be the set of positive integers. Find all functions $f: \mathbb{Z} _{>0}\rightarrow \mathbb{Z} _{>0}$ such that
\[ m^2 + f(n) \mid mf(m) +n \]
for all positive integers $m$ and $n$.
152 replies
lyukhson
Jul 10, 2014
Jakjjdm
3 hours ago
9x9 Board
mathlover314   8
N 3 hours ago by sweetbird108
There is a $9x9$ board with a number written in each cell. Every two neighbour rows sum up to at least $20$, and every two neighbour columns sum up to at most $16$. Find the sum of all numbers on the board.
8 replies
mathlover314
May 6, 2023
sweetbird108
3 hours ago
Estonian Math Competitions 2005/2006
STARS   3
N 3 hours ago by Darghy
Source: Juniors Problem 4
A $ 9 \times 9$ square is divided into unit squares. Is it possible to fill each unit square with a number $ 1, 2,..., 9$ in such a way that, whenever one places the tile so that it fully covers nine unit squares, the tile will cover nine different numbers?
3 replies
STARS
Jul 30, 2008
Darghy
3 hours ago
IMO ShortList 2001, geometry problem 2
orl   49
N Apr 11, 2025 by Nari_Tom
Source: IMO ShortList 2001, geometry problem 2
Consider an acute-angled triangle $ABC$. Let $P$ be the foot of the altitude of triangle $ABC$ issuing from the vertex $A$, and let $O$ be the circumcenter of triangle $ABC$. Assume that $\angle C \geq \angle B+30^{\circ}$. Prove that $\angle A+\angle COP < 90^{\circ}$.
49 replies
orl
Sep 30, 2004
Nari_Tom
Apr 11, 2025
IMO ShortList 2001, geometry problem 2
G H J
Source: IMO ShortList 2001, geometry problem 2
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YaoAOPS
1519 posts
#38
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Storage
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bobthegod78
2982 posts
#39
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Claim: $R^2 > ab \cos C$.
Proof: By the extended law of sines, $R^2 = \frac{a}{2 \sin A} \cdot \frac{b}{2\sin B}$. We can divide out $ab \cos C$ to get $\frac{R^2}{ab \cos C} = \frac{1}{4\sin A \sin B \cos C}$. But $\sin B \cos C = \frac 12 ( \sin(B+C) + \sin(B-C)) = \frac 12(\sin A - \sin (C-B))$, so $$\frac{R^2}{ab \cos C} = \frac{1}{2 \sin A (\sin A - \sin(C-B))}.$$But notice that $2\sin A (\sin A - \sin (C-B))$ is maximized when $\sin A$ is maximized and $\sin(C-B)$ is minimized, and since $A<90$, $\sin A < 1$ and since $C-B \geq 30, $ $\sin(C-B) \geq 1/2$, so $2\sin A ( \sin A - \sin (C-B)) < 1$, or $\frac{R^2}{ab \cos C} > 1$, implying $R^2 > ab\cos C$, as desired.

Claim: $PO>CP$.
Proof: We find that $CP = b \cos C$ and $PO = \sqrt{(\frac a2 - b \cos C)^2 + R^2 - (\frac a2)^2} = \sqrt{b^2 \cos^2 C + R^2 - ab \cos C}.$ Since $R^2 - ab\cos C$, $\sqrt{b^2 \cos^2 C + R^2 - ab \cos C} > \sqrt{b^2 \cos^2 C} = b \cos C$, so $PO>CP$.

Since $PO>CP$, then $90 - \angle A =\angle PCO > \angle COP$, but then $\angle A + \angle COP < \angle A + \angle PCO = 90$, so we are done.
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math_comb01
662 posts
#40
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Though similar to others, I find this trig bash very less bashy
The key claim is as follows,
Claim : $R^2 \geq ab cos{c}$
Proof : We first prove a lemma
Lemma: $$sin(a)sin(b)cos(c) \leq \frac{1}{4}$$equivalently $$sin(a)(sin(b+c)-sin(c-b)) \leq \frac{1}{2}$$$$sin(a)(2sin(a)+1) \leq 1$$$$(sin{a}-1)(2sin{a}+1) \leq 0$$which is true
By sine rule the claim immediately follows, and by cosine rule in $\triangle OCP$ the problem gets finished.
EDIT: just noticed this is identical to mathmanman's soln lol
This post has been edited 4 times. Last edited by math_comb01, Jun 4, 2023, 4:51 PM
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lrjr24
967 posts
#41
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Note that $A + \angle COP < 90 \equiv \angle COP < 90 - A = \angle OCP \equiv CP<OP$. We now bash. Note that $OP>CP$ is equivalent to \[ R^2\cos^2a + \left(\frac{a}{2}-b \cos C\right)^2 > b^2\cos^2C \equiv ab \cos C < R^2\cos^2A+\frac{a^2}{4} = R^2 = \frac{(abc)^2}{16 \cdot [ABC]^2} = \frac{a^2b^2c^2}{4 \cdot bc \sin A \cdot ac \sin B} \equiv \sin A \sin B \cos C < \frac{1}{4}. \]Switch to radians. If $B \le \frac{\pi}{6}$, we need to prove $\sin B \sin \left(B+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = f(B) \le 1/4$. We use calculus to see $f'(B) = \sin\left( 2B+\frac{\pi}{6} \right) > 0$. Thus we only need to check $B=\frac{\pi}{6}$, which is obvious. We now note that if we fix $B$ and vary $C$ from $B+\frac{\pi}{6}$, $\cos C$ will decrease and $\sin A$ will decrease. Thus we want $C=B+\frac{\pi}{6}$. Thus we need to prove $g(x) = \sin\left(2x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) \sin x \cos \left(x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) < \frac{1}{4}$ for $\frac{\pi}{6} < x < \frac{\pi}{3}$. We use calculus again. Note that $g'(x) = \cos\left(2x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) \sin x \cos \left(x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) + \sin\left(2x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) \cos \left(2x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = \cos\left(2x+\frac{\pi}{6}\right) \left( \sin x \cos \left( x + \frac{\pi}{6} \right) + \sin \left( 2x +\frac{\pi}{6} \right) \right) < 0$, so we just need to check $x = \frac{\pi}{6}$ which is obvious and we're done.
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smileapple
1010 posts
#42
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[asy]
unitsize(2.8cm);
pair A,B,C,O,P;
A=(0.4,0.9165151389912);
B=(-0.8,-0.6);
C=(0.8,-0.6);
O=(0,0);
P=(0.4,-0.6);
draw(circle((0,0),1));
draw(A--B--C--cycle);
draw(O--C);
draw(B--O--P--A);
label("$A$",A,NE);
label("$B$",B,SW);
label("$C$",C,SE);
label("$O$",O,N);
label("$P$",P,S);
[/asy]
Note that $\angle BOC=2\angle A$ due to the Inscribed Angle Theorem. Since $\triangle BOC$ is isosceles with $BO=OC$, it follows that
\begin{align*}
\angle OBC&=\angle OCB\\
&=\frac{180^{\circ}-\angle BOC}2\\
&=\frac{180^{\circ}-2\angle A}2\\
&=90^{\circ}-\angle A.
\end{align*}Thus, proving that $\angle A+\angle COP<90^{\circ}$ is equivalent to proving that $\angle COP<90^{\circ}-\angle A=\angle OCP.$ Applying the Law of Sines, we find that $\frac{OP}{\angle OCP}=\frac{PC}{\angle COP}$, so that $$\frac{OP}{PC}=\frac{\sin\angle OCP}{\sin\angle COP}.$$If $OP<PC$, then $\sin\angle OCP<\sin \angle COP$ and $\angle COP<\angle OCP$, implying that $\angle OCP+\angle COP>180^{\circ}$, a contradiction. It therefore follows that having $\angle A+\angle COP<90^{\circ}$ is equivalent to $\angle COP<\angle OCP$, which in turn is the same as having $PC<OP$, as proven above. Thus, it suffices to show that $PC<OP.$

Defining the side lengths $(BC,CA,AB)=(a,b,c)$, as usual, we note that $$PC=b\cos\angle C$$by analysis on $\triangle ACP.$ Moreover, applying the Law of Cosines on $\triangle OCP$ gives
\begin{align*}
OP^2&=OC^2+CP^2\\
&=OC^2+CP^2-2OC\cdot CP\cos\angle OCP\\
&=PC^2+R^2-2R(b\cos\angle C)\cos(90^{\circ}-\angle A)\\
&=PC^2+R^2-2Rb\cos\angle C\sin\angle A,
\end{align*}where $R=OA=OB=OC$ is the circumradius of $\angle ABC.$

Now, note that $R=\frac{b}{2\sin\angle B}$ by the Law of Sines, it follows that
\begin{align*}
\frac{2(OP^2-PC^2)\sin\angle B}{bR}&=\frac{2R\sin\angle B-4b\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A}b\\
&=\frac{b-4b\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A}b\\
&=1-4b\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A.
\end{align*}Since $\frac{2\sin\angle B}{bR}$ is clearly positive, we see that $\frac{2(OP^2-PC^2)\sin\angle B}{bR}=1-4b\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A$ and $OP^2-PC^2$ share the same sign. Thus, to prove that $PC<OP$, it suffices to show that $\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A<\frac14.$
\paragraph{}Note that $\sin\angle A<1$ due to the acuity of $\angle ABC$; in addition, the fact that $\angle C\ge\angle B+30^{\circ}$ implies that $\cos\angle C\le\cos(\angle B+30^{\circ})$ as the cosine function is decreasing on the range $[0^{\circ},180^{\circ}].$ Therefore
\begin{align*}
\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A&<\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\\
&\le\cos(\angle B+30^{\circ})\sin\angle B\\
&=\sin(90^{\circ}-(\angle B+30^{\circ})\sin\angle B\\
&=\sin(60^{\circ}-\angle B)\sin\angle B.
\end{align*}Applying the Sum-to-Product Identity for products of sines, we find that
\begin{align*}
\cos\angle C\sin\angle B\sin\angle A&<\sin(60^{\circ}-\angle B)\sin\angle B\\
&=\frac{\cos((60^{\circ}-\angle B)-\angle B)-\cos((60^{\circ}-\angle B)+\angle B)}2\\
&=\frac{\cos(60^{\circ}-2\angle B)-\cos60^\circ}2\\
&\le\frac{1-\frac12}2\\
&=\frac14,
\end{align*}as desired. $\blacksquare$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by smileapple, Jul 27, 2023, 6:54 AM
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huashiliao2020
1292 posts
#43
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Remark: Reasonably easy problem, if you ask me. In any diagram, it looks to be the case that COP+BAC<OCP+BAC=90, finishing, so it suffices to prove CP<OP. There's also a sort of degree of "equality" even though the thing we want is strict, and even though this is geometry: When I saw this, I thought of "What if BAC approaches 90 degrees? What becomes degenerate?" Well, O lies on CP, and any right angles dropped from O would lie on BCP, so weaker inequalities like leg<hypotenuse are viable.

Indeed, construct Q=foot from O on BC, R=foot from O on AP; $$ARO=90,RAO=BAP-BAO=90-B-(90-C)=C-B\ge 30\implies PQ=OR\ge\frac12AO=\frac12CO>\frac12CQ\implies OP>PQ>CP,$$as desired. $\blacksquare$
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Duck123
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#44 • 1 Y
Y by CT17
First post:
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shendrew7
794 posts
#45
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Denote the projections from $O$ onto $BC$ and $AP$ as $M$ and $N$, respectively. Then
\[\angle OAN = C-B \ge 30 \implies \sin OAN \ge \frac 12.\]
Thus we get that
\[\frac 12 \leq \frac{NO}{AO} = \frac{PM}{CO} < \frac{PM}{CM} \implies PC < PM < PO.\]
As a result, we have $\angle COP < \angle PCO = 90-A$, giving the desired. $\blacksquare$
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cursed_tangent1434
597 posts
#46 • 1 Y
Y by GeoKing
Let $D$ be the second intersection of $CO$ and $(ABC)$. Now, notice that
\begin{align*}
    \angle CAB + \angle COP &< 90^\circ\\
    \angle COP &< 90-\angle CAB\\
    \angle COP &< \angle DAB \\
    \angle COP &< \angle DCB = \angle OCP
\end{align*}Thus, the required conclusion rewrites to showing $\angle COP < \angle OCP$ or in turn $PC < OP$.
Now, let $X = \overline{OC} \cap \overline{AP}$. First, notice that
\[PC < XC \text{ ($\angle XPC= 90^\circ$ and thus $\angle PXC < 90$)}\]Next by Ratio Lemma,
\begin{align*}
    \frac{OX}{XC} &= \frac{AO}{AC} \cdot \frac{\sin{\angle OAP}}{\sin{\angle PAC}}\\
    OX &= \left( \frac{AO}{AC}\cdot \frac{\sin{\angle OAP}}{\sin{\angle PAC}} \right) XC.
\end{align*}Now,
\begin{align*}
    \frac{AO}{AC}\cdot \frac{\sin{\angle OAP}}{\sin{\angle PAC}} &= \frac{\sin{\angle OCA}}{\sin{\angle AOC}}\cdot \frac{\sin{\angle OAP}}{\sin{\angle PAC}} \\
    &= \frac{\sin{90-\angle B}}{\sin{\angle B}} \cdot \frac{\sin{\angle B + \angle C}}{\sin{90-\angle C}}\\
    &= \left(\frac{BP}{AB}\cdot\frac{AC}{PC}\right) \left(\frac{\frac{AP}{AB}\cdot\frac{PC}{AC}+\frac{AP}{AC}\cdot\frac{BP}{AB}}{2\cdot \frac{AP}{AB}\cdot\frac{BP}{AB}}\right)\\
    &= \frac{PC+BP}{2PC} > 1
\end{align*}since $A$ is closer to $C$ than $B$ ($\angle BCA > \angle ABC$) and $P$ is the foot of the altitude. Further, $$\angle OXP = 90 + \angle OCP > \angle OPA \text{ (this angle is strictly less than $90^\circ$)}$$So, $OX< OP$ as well. Thus, we have that
\[PC < XC < OX < OP\]and thus, $PC < OP$ as needed.
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HamstPan38825
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#47
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Notice that because $\angle OCP = 90^\circ - \angle A$, it suffices to show that $\angle COP < \angle OCP$, or $CP < OP$. Using the Law of Cosines, $$CP^2 < OP^2 = CP^2 + OC^2 - 2  (OC) (CP)( \sin A)  \iff 1 < 4 \sin B \cos C \sin A$$as $CP = 2R \sin B \cos C$. On the other hand, note that $$ 2\sin B \cos C \sin A < 2\sin B \cos C = \sin(B+C) - \sin(C-B) \leq \sin(B+C) -\frac 12 \leq \frac 12$$because $C-B\geq 30^\circ$, as needed.
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Danielzh
490 posts
#48
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Motivation
Let's take a look at the equality case of $\angle{A}+\angle{COP}=90^{\circ}$. We construct the antipode of $B$ as $D$. Notice that $\angle{A}+\angle{DAB}=90^{\circ}$ and $\angle{DAB}=\angle{DBC}$, so the equality case holds when $CP=PO$. We want to show that $CP<PO$ for all such $\triangle{ABC}$. Additionally, how can be use the fact that $\angle{C} \ge \angle{B} + 30^{\circ}$? How can we extract the difference between the $\angle{B}$ and $\angle{C}$?

Solution
Let $H$ denote the orthocenter of $\triangle{ABC}$. By properties of an orthocenter, denote the reflection of $H$ over $\overline{BC}$, which lies on the circumcircle of $\triangle{ABC}$, as $E$. Hence, $90^{\circ}-\angle{C}=\angle{HBP}=\angle{HBE}$ and $$\angle{ABE}=90^{\circ}+\angle{B}-\angle{C} \le 60^{\circ}$$Denote the projection from $O$ onto $\overline{BC}$ has $M$. Examining $\triangle{AOE}$ (note that $\angle{AOE} \le 120^{\circ}$), we get that $MP \ge \frac{R}{2}$, so $CP \le \frac{R}{2}$.
By the inequalities
\begin{align*}
CP+PO > R \\
\frac{R}{2} \ge CP \\
\end{align*}we get that $PO > \frac{R}{2} \ge {PC}$, which completes the proof.
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EpicBird08
1749 posts
#49
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What an instructive trigonometry problem.

The problem is equivalent to showing that $\angle COP < 90^\circ - \angle A.$ Notice that $\angle BCO = 90^\circ - A,$ so by considering $\triangle COP,$ it suffices to show that $PC < OP.$ Squaring both sides, this becomes $PC^2 < OP^2.$ However, if we let $R$ be the circumradius of $\triangle ABC,$ by Power of a Point we get $$OP^2 = R^2 - BP \cdot PC.$$Thus it amounts to show that $$PC^2 < R^2 - BP \cdot PC \leftrightarrow PC(BP + PC) = CP \cdot CB < R^2.$$By the Law of Sines, we have that $BC = 2R \sin \angle A$ and $AC = 2R \sin \angle B,$ so $PC = AC \cos \angle C = 2R \sin \angle B \cos \angle C.$ Plugging in, this becomes $$4R^2 \sin \angle A \sin \angle B \cos \angle C < R^2,$$or after dividing both sides by $R^2,$ $$4 \sin \angle A \sin \angle B \cos \angle C < 1.$$By the product-to-sum identities, $$\sin \angle B \cos \angle C = \frac{\sin (\angle C + \angle B) - \sin (\angle C - \angle B)}{2} = \frac{\sin \angle A - \sin (\angle C - \angle B)}{2},$$and plugging this in, we get $$2 \sin \angle A (\sin \angle A - \sin (\angle C - \angle B)) < 1.$$We are given that $\angle C - \angle B \ge 30^\circ,$ so $\sin (\angle C - \angle B) \ge \sin 30^\circ = \frac{1}{2}.$ Therefore, it suffices to show that $$2 \sin \angle A (\sin \angle A - 0.5) = 2 \sin^2 \angle A - \sin \angle A < 1,$$or upon rearrangement, $$2 \sin^2 \angle A - \sin \angle A - 1 = (2 \sin \angle A + 1)(\sin \angle A - 1) < 0.$$The factor on the left is positive while the factor on the right is negative, so the entire expression is negative. Since all our steps are reversible, we are done.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by EpicBird08, Aug 14, 2024, 3:28 AM
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ezpotd
1258 posts
#50
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This is equivalent to proving $OP > PC$, which is equivalent to $PM \ge PC$ or $\frac{PB}{CP} \ge 3$. Observe this is equivalent to proving $\frac{\tan B + 30}{\tan B} \ge 3$, which is equivalent to $\frac{1 + \frac{1}{\sqrt{3} \tan B}}{1 - \frac{\tan B}{\sqrt{3}}} \ge 3$ which is equivalent to $3 \tan B + \frac{1}{\tan B} \ge 2\sqrt{3}$, which is true by AM-GM.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by ezpotd, Oct 16, 2024, 3:03 AM
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legogubbe
19 posts
#51
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Let $Q$ be the intersection point of $OC$ and $AP$. We find $\angle OAP = C-B \geq 30^{\circ}$. Moreover $\angle PAC=90^{\circ}-C$. The Sine rule applied to triangles $AOQ$ and $CAQ$ imply $\frac{OQ}{\sin(C-B)} = \frac{R}{\sin \angle OQA}$ and $\frac{QC}{\sin (90^{\circ}-C)} = \frac{2R \sin B}{\sin \angle CQA}$, respectively, where $R$ is the circumradius of triangle $ABC$. Hence
\[\frac{OQ}{QC} = \frac{\sin(C-B)}{2\sin B \cos C}>1,\]because $\sin (C-B)>2\sin B \cos C \Leftrightarrow \sin(C-B)> \sin(B-C) + \sin(B+C) \Leftrightarrow 2 \sin (C-B)>\sin(B+C)$ which is true since $2 \sin (C-B) \geq 2 \sin 30^{\circ} = 1 > \sin (B+C)$.

Lastly, from the Sine rule applied to triangles $OPQ$ and $PQC$ we get $\frac{OP}{\sin \angle OQP} = \frac{OQ}{\sin \angle OPQ}$ and $\frac{PC}{\sin \angle PQC} = \frac{QC}{\sin \angle CPQ}$ where
\[\frac{OP}{PC} = \frac{\sin \angle CPQ}{\sin \angle OPQ} \cdot \frac{OQ}{QC}.\]As $\triangle ABC$ is acute-angled, $O$ is an interior point of $\triangle ABC$. In fact, $\angle OPC < 180^{\circ}$ so $\angle OPQ < \angle CPQ$. In other words, the two ratios in the equation above must be $>1$ and consequently, $OP>PC$. We are done.
[asy]
import geometry; 
size(8cm); 
point A=(6,14), B=(-8,0), C=(9,0); 

triangle t=triangle(A,B,C); 
point O=circumcenter(t), P=projection(line(B,C))*A; 
point Q=intersectionpoint(line(O,C),line(A,P)); 
 
fill(A--B--C--cycle,cyan+white+white+white); 
draw(t,blue);

draw(A--P^^O--A^^O--B^^O--C^^O--P,blue); 

markrightangle(A,P,C); 

dot("$A$",A,N); 
dot("$B$",B,S); 
dot("$C$",C,S); 
dot("$O$",O,N+W); 
dot("$P$",P,S); 
dot("$Q$",Q,N+E); 
[/asy]
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Nari_Tom
116 posts
#52
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This problem was depressing one.

Since problem is equivalent to showing: $PO^2>PC^2$ $\iff$ $R^2-BP*PC>PC^2$ $\iff$ $R^2>CP*CB$. From here i could not found any nice ideas, so i decided to bash out like i would do on the actual contest.

So trigonometric form of this inequality is: $\frac{1}{4}> sin(\alpha)sin(\beta)cos(\gamma)$, where $\gamma \ge \beta+30^{\circ}$. Let's fix $\alpha$. Then maximum value occurs when $\beta$ and $\gamma$ are close as possible. So let's assume: $\gamma=\beta+30^{\circ}$ and $\alpha=150^{\circ}-2 \beta$. Since $\triangle ABC$ is acute we have: $30^{\circ} < \beta < 60^{\circ}$.

Notice that $sin(150)-2 \beta$ is decreasing. Also note that $f(\beta)=sin(\beta)cos(30^{\circ}+\beta)$ is also a decreasing since: $f'(\beta)=cos(\beta)cos(30+\beta)-sin(\beta)sin(30+\beta)=cos(2 \beta+30)<0$ in the interval.

So $\frac{1}{4}=sin(30)sin(90)cos(60)>sin(b)cos(\beta+30)sin(150-2 \beta) \ge sin(\beta)sin(\alpha)cos(\gamma)$.
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