IMO 2004 · Problem 1

Let \(ABC\) be an acute-angled triangle with \(AB\neq AC\). The circle with diameter \(BC\) intersects the sides \(AB\) and \(AC\) at \(M\) and \(N\) respectively. Denote by \(O\) the midpoint of the side \(BC\). The bisectors of the angles \(\angle BAC\) and \(\angle MON\) intersect at \(R\). Prove that the circumcircles of the triangles \(BMR\) and \(CNR\) have a common point lying on the side \(BC\).

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

Solution

Let the internal bisector of \(\angle BAC\) meet \(BC\) at \(D\). We will prove that \(D\) belongs to both circumcircles.

Write \[ AB=c,\qquad AC=b,\qquad \angle BAC=2\alpha. \] By Thales’ theorem, \(CM\perp AB\) and \(BN\perp AC\). Since the triangle is acute, \(M\) and \(N\) lie in the interiors of their respective sides, and \[ AM=b\cos 2\alpha,\qquad AN=c\cos 2\alpha. \] In particular, \(AM\ne AN\), because \(b\ne c\) and \(\cos 2\alpha>0\).

As \(OM=ON\), the bisector of \(\angle MON\) is the perpendicular bisector of \(MN\). Thus \[ RM=RN. \] This also shows that \(R\ne A\). Since \(AR\) bisects \(\angle MAN\), the cosine rule gives \[ \begin{aligned} RM^2&=AM^2+AR^2-2AM\cdot AR\cos\alpha,\\ RN^2&=AN^2+AR^2-2AN\cdot AR\cos\alpha. \end{aligned} \] Subtracting and factoring yields \[ (AM-AN)(AM+AN-2AR\cos\alpha)=0. \] Consequently, \[ AR=\frac{AM+AN}{2\cos\alpha} =\frac{(b+c)\cos 2\alpha}{2\cos\alpha}. \tag{1} \]

On the other hand, adding the areas of \(ABD\) and \(ACD\) gives \[ \frac12 bc\sin 2\alpha =\frac12 c\cdot AD\sin\alpha +\frac12 b\cdot AD\sin\alpha. \] Therefore \[ AD=\frac{2bc\cos\alpha}{b+c}. \tag{2} \] Multiplying (1) and (2), we obtain \[ AR\cdot AD =bc\cos 2\alpha =AB\cdot AM =AC\cdot AN. \tag{3} \]

The triangles \(BMR\) and \(CNR\) are nondegenerate: \(R\ne A\) lies on the internal angle bisector, whereas \(B,M\) lie on \(AB\) and \(C,N\) lie on \(AC\).

Let their circumcircles be \(\omega_B\) and \(\omega_C\). The power of \(A\) with respect to \(\omega_B\) is \[ AB\cdot AM=AR\cdot AD. \] Since \(R\in\omega_B\) and \(A,R,D\) lie on the same ray, the secant power theorem implies \(D\in\omega_B\): the other intersection on this ray, counted with multiplicity, has distance \[ \frac{AB\cdot AM}{AR}=AD \] from \(A\). Likewise, \(AC\cdot AN=AR\cdot AD\) implies \(D\in\omega_C\).

Thus both circumcircles contain \(D\), which lies in the interior of the side \(BC\). \(\square\)

The solution was checked against Evan Chen's published IMO solution notes.