IMO 1993 · Problem 2

Let \(D\) be a point inside acute triangle \(ABC\) such that \(\angle ADB = \angle ACB + \pi/2\) and \(AC \cdot BD = AD \cdot BC\).

(a) Calculate the ratio \((AB \cdot CD)/(AC \cdot BD)\).

(b) Prove that the tangents at \(C\) to the circumcircles of \(\triangle ACD\) and \(\triangle BCD\) are perpendicular.

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

Answer

(a) \(\displaystyle \frac{AB\cdot CD}{AC\cdot BD}=\sqrt2.\)

(b) The tangents are perpendicular.

Solution

Put \[ \gamma=\angle ACB,\qquad \alpha=\angle CAD,\qquad \beta=\angle CBD. \] Since \(D\) lies strictly inside \(ABC\), its rays split the angles at \(A\) and \(B\). Therefore \[ \begin{aligned} \alpha+\beta &=(\angle CAB+\angle ABC)-(\angle DAB+\angle ABD)\\ &=(\pi-\gamma)-(\pi-\angle ADB)\\ &=\angle ADB-\gamma =\frac{\pi}{2}. \end{aligned} \tag{1} \] In particular, \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are both acute.

(a) Consider the transformation consisting of a rotation about \(C\) taking ray \(CA\) to ray \(CB\) through the interior angle \(\gamma\), followed by a dilation about \(C\) with factor \(BC/AC\). This transformation sends \(A\) to \(B\); let it send \(D\) to \(E\).

The similarity of triangles \(CAD\) and \(CBE\) gives \[ \angle CBE=\alpha, \qquad BE=\frac{BC}{AC}\,AD=BD, \tag{2} \] where the last equality uses the given length relation.

Ray \(CD\) lies strictly between \(CA\) and \(CB\). After the rotation, ray \(CE\) lies beyond \(CB\) by the angle \(\angle ACD\). Thus \(D\) and \(E\) lie on opposite sides of line \(BC\). Since their angles with ray \(BC\) at \(B\) are the acute angles \(\beta\) and \(\alpha\), respectively, (1) yields \[ \angle DBE=\beta+\alpha=\frac{\pi}{2}. \] Together with (2), this makes \(DBE\) a right isosceles triangle. Hence \[ DE=\sqrt2\,BD. \tag{3} \]

The construction also gives \[ \frac{CE}{CD}=\frac{CB}{CA}, \qquad \angle DCE=\gamma=\angle ACB. \] Consequently, triangles \(CDE\) and \(CAB\) are similar by the side-angle-side criterion, so \[ \frac{DE}{AB}=\frac{CD}{AC}. \] Combining this with (3), we obtain \[ \boxed{\frac{AB\cdot CD}{AC\cdot BD} =\frac{DE}{BD}=\sqrt2}. \]

(b) The circles in question are well-defined because \(D\) is on neither \(AC\) nor \(BC\).

At \(C\), choose the ray of the tangent to \((ACD)\) lying on the opposite side of line \(CD\) from \(A\). By the tangent–chord theorem, this ray makes angle \[ \angle CAD=\alpha \] with ray \(CD\). Likewise, the ray of the tangent to \((BCD)\) lying on the opposite side of \(CD\) from \(B\) makes angle \[ \angle CBD=\beta \] with ray \(CD\).

Because \(D\) is inside \(ABC\), the points \(A\) and \(B\) lie on opposite sides of \(CD\). Thus the two chosen tangent rays also lie on opposite sides of \(CD\). Their acute angles with ray \(CD\) add, so the angle between them is \[ \alpha+\beta=\frac{\pi}{2}. \] Therefore the two tangents are perpendicular.

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