IMO 1979 · Problem 4

Given a plane \(\pi\), a point \(P\) in this plane and a point \(Q\) not in \(\pi\), find all points \(R\) in \(\pi\) such that the ratio \((QP + PA)/QR\) is a maximum.

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

Answer

The printed statement contains an undefined point \(A\). Under the natural correction \(PA\to PR\), let \(H\) be the perpendicular projection of \(Q\) onto \(\pi\).

  • If \(P\ne H\), the unique maximizing point is the point \(R\) on the ray \(PH\) satisfying \(PR=PQ\). It lies beyond \(H\).
  • If \(P=H\), the maximizing points form the circle in \(\pi\) with centre \(P\) and radius \(PQ\).

The maximum value is \[ \boxed{\sqrt{\frac{2PQ}{PQ-PH}}}. \]

Solution

We solve the expression \((QP+PR)/QR\).

Put \[ a=PQ,\qquad d=PH,\qquad h=QH>0. \] Since \(QH\) is perpendicular to \(\pi\), \[ a^2=d^2+h^2, \] so \(a>d\).

For any \(R\in\pi\), write \(t=HR\). By the Pythagorean theorem and the triangle inequality, \[ QR=\sqrt{h^2+t^2}, \qquad PR\le d+t. \] Consequently, the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality gives \[ \begin{aligned} \frac{QP+PR}{QR} &\le \frac{a+d+t}{\sqrt{h^2+t^2}}\\ &=\frac{\frac{a+d}{h}\,h+1\cdot t}{\sqrt{h^2+t^2}}\\ &\le \sqrt{\frac{(a+d)^2}{h^2}+1}\\ &=\sqrt{\frac{(a+d)^2+(a^2-d^2)}{a^2-d^2}}\\ &=\sqrt{\frac{2a}{a-d}}. \end{aligned} \]

Equality in the Cauchy–Schwarz step holds precisely when the vectors \[ \left(\frac{a+d}{h},1\right) \quad\text{and}\quad (h,t) \] are proportional, which is equivalent to \[ t=\frac{h^2}{a+d}=a-d>0. \]

If \(d>0\), equality in \(PR\le PH+HR\) holds precisely when \(H\) lies on the segment \(PR\). Thus equality throughout requires \(R\) to lie beyond \(H\) on the ray \(PH\), with \[ HR=a-d. \] There is exactly one such point, and it satisfies \[ PR=PH+HR=d+(a-d)=a=PQ. \] Conversely, this point gives equality throughout, so it attains the stated maximum.

If \(d=0\), then \(P=H\) and \(a=h\). The triangle inequality above is an equality for every \(R\), while the other equality condition becomes \[ PR=HR=a. \] Hence precisely the points of the circle with centre \(P\) and radius \(PQ\) maximize the ratio. In this case the maximum is \(\sqrt2\).

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