IMO 1995 · Problem 1

Let \(A, B, C, D\) be four distinct points on a line, in that order. The circles with diameters \(AC\) and \(BD\) intersect at \(X\) and \(Y\). The line \(XY\) meets \(BC\) at \(Z\). Let \(P\) be a point on the line \(XY\) other than \(Z\). The line \(CP\) intersects the circle with diameter \(AC\) at \(C\) and \(M\), and the line \(BP\) intersects the circle with diameter \(BD\) at \(B\) and \(N\). Prove that the lines \(AM, DN, XY\) are concurrent.

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

Solution

The centers of the two circles are distinct and lie on \(AD\). Both centers lie on the perpendicular bisector of their common chord \(XY\), so \(XY\perp AD\), and \(Z\) is the midpoint of \(XY\). Thus \(Z\) lies inside both circles, hence in both open diameter segments \(AC\) and \(BD\). Consequently, \(Z\) lies strictly between \(B\) and \(C\).

Choose Cartesian coordinates with \(Z=(0,0)\), \(AD\) as the horizontal axis, and \(XY\) as the vertical axis. Write \[ A=(-a,0),\quad B=(-b,0),\quad C=(c,0),\quad D=(d,0),\quad P=(0,p), \] where \[ a>b>0,\qquad d>c>0,\qquad p\ne0. \] Applying the intersecting-chords theorem at \(Z\) in each circle gives \[ ac=ZA\cdot ZC=ZX\cdot ZY=ZB\cdot ZD=bd. \tag{1} \]

The tangents at \(C\) and \(B\) to their respective circles are vertical. Since \(b,c>0\), neither \(CP\) nor \(BP\) is such a tangent. Their second intersections therefore satisfy \(M\ne C\) and \(N\ne B\). Moreover, \(p\ne0\) ensures that \(M\ne A\) and \(N\ne D\), since either equality would put \(P\) on \(AD\). Thus \(AM\) and \(DN\) are well defined.

By Thales’ theorem, \[ AM\perp CM=CP,\qquad DN\perp BN=BP. \] A direction vector of \(CP\) is \((-c,p)\). Therefore the perpendicular line through \(A=(-a,0)\), namely \(AM\), has equation \[ -c(x+a)+py=0. \] Similarly, a direction vector of \(BP\) is \((b,p)\), so \(DN\) has equation \[ b(x-d)+py=0. \]

On \(XY\), we have \(x=0\). Hence \(AM\) and \(DN\) meet \(XY\) at \[ \left(0,\frac{ac}{p}\right) \quad\text{and}\quad \left(0,\frac{bd}{p}\right), \] respectively. These are the same point by (1), proving the required concurrence.

The argument also covers \(P=X\) or \(P=Y\), when \(M=N=P\).

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