IMO 1965 · Problem 5

Consider \(\triangle OAB\) with acute angle \(AOB\). Through a point \(M\ne O\) perpendiculars are drawn to \(OA\) and \(OB\), the feet of which are \(P\) and \(Q\) respectively. The point of intersection of the altitudes of \(\triangle OPQ\) is \(H\). What is the locus of \(H\) if \(M\) is permitted to range over (a) the side \(AB\), (b) the interior of \(\triangle OAB\)?

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

Let \(A'\) be the foot of the perpendicular from \(A\) to \(OB\), and \(B'\) the foot of the perpendicular from \(B\) to \(OA\).

  • (a) The segment \(A'B'\), including both endpoints.
  • (b) The interior of \(\triangle OA'B'\), excluding its boundary.

Solution

Take \(O\) as the origin. Let \(\mathbf u,\mathbf v\) be unit vectors along \(OA,OB\), respectively, and write \[ a=OA,\qquad b=OB,\qquad c=\cos\angle AOB. \] Then \(0<c<1\), \(\mathbf u\cdot\mathbf v=c\), and the position vectors of \(A'\) and \(B'\) are \[ \mathbf a'=ac\,\mathbf v,\qquad \mathbf b'=bc\,\mathbf u. \]

Every permitted point \(M\) has a representation \[ \mathbf m=\lambda a\,\mathbf u+\mu b\,\mathbf v, \] where \(\lambda,\mu\ge0\) and they are not both zero. Orthogonal projection onto the two sides gives \[ \mathbf p=(\lambda a+\mu bc)\mathbf u,\qquad \mathbf q=(\lambda ac+\mu b)\mathbf v. \] Both coefficients are positive. Thus \(P,Q\ne O\), and since \(OA\) and \(OB\) are distinct lines, \(\triangle OPQ\) is nondegenerate.

We claim that its orthocenter has position vector \[ \mathbf h=\lambda ac\,\mathbf v+\mu bc\,\mathbf u =\lambda\mathbf a'+\mu\mathbf b'. \] Indeed, \[ \begin{aligned} (\mathbf h-\mathbf p)\cdot\mathbf v &=\lambda ac+\mu bc^2-(\lambda a+\mu bc)c=0,\\ (\mathbf h-\mathbf q)\cdot\mathbf u &=\lambda ac^2+\mu bc-(\lambda ac+\mu b)c=0. \end{aligned} \] The first equality places \(H\) on the altitude through \(P\), and the second places it on the altitude through \(Q\). These altitudes are not parallel, so their intersection is precisely the required \(H\). This argument also applies when \(H=P\) or \(H=Q\).

(a) As \(M\) ranges over \(AB\), its coefficients are \[ \lambda=1-t,\qquad \mu=t,\qquad 0\le t\le1. \] Consequently, \[ \mathbf h=(1-t)\mathbf a'+t\mathbf b', \] which describes exactly the segment \(A'B'\), including its endpoints.

(b) A point \(M\) lies in the interior of \(\triangle OAB\) exactly when \[ \lambda>0,\qquad \mu>0,\qquad \lambda+\mu<1. \] Since \(a,b,c>0\), the points \(O,A',B'\) are noncollinear. Therefore the vectors \[ \mathbf h=\lambda\mathbf a'+\mu\mathbf b' \] with these same inequalities describe exactly the interior of \(\triangle OA'B'\): the coefficients of its three vertices are \(1-\lambda-\mu,\lambda,\mu\), all positive. Conversely, every such point \(H\) is attained by taking \(M\) with the same coefficients. Thus the entire stated interior, and no boundary point, is the locus.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).