IMO 2010 · Problem 4

Let \(P\) be a point inside the triangle \(ABC\). The lines \(AP\), \(BP\) and \(CP\) intersect the circumcircle \(\Gamma\) of triangle \(ABC\) again at the points \(K\), \(L\) and \(M\) respectively. The tangent to \(\Gamma\) at \(C\) intersects the line \(AB\) at \(S\). Suppose that \(SC = SP\). Prove that \(MK = ML\).

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

Solution

Since \(S\ne C\) lies on the tangent to \(\Gamma\) at \(C\), it is outside \(\Gamma\). Consequently, \(A\) and \(B\) lie on the same ray from \(S\). By the tangent–secant theorem and the hypothesis, \[ SA\cdot SB=SC^2=SP^2. \]

For either \(X=C\) or \(X=P\), we therefore have \[ \frac{SA}{SX}=\frac{SX}{SB}. \] Also, \(\angle ASX=\angle XSB\), because the rays \(SA\) and \(SB\) coincide. Thus the nondegenerate triangles \(SAX\) and \(SXB\) are similar by SAS, giving \[ \frac{AX}{XB}=\frac{SA}{SX}. \] Applying this first to \(P\) and then to \(C\), we obtain \[ \frac{AP}{BP}=\frac{SA}{SP} =\frac{SA}{SC}=\frac{AC}{BC}. \tag{1} \]

Now \(P\) lies strictly inside \(\Gamma\), so the points occur in the orders \(A,P,K\), \(B,P,L\), and \(C,P,M\). The intersecting-chords theorem gives \[ PA\cdot PK=PB\cdot PL=PC\cdot PM. \] In particular, \[ \frac{PA}{PM}=\frac{PC}{PK}, \qquad \frac{PB}{PM}=\frac{PC}{PL}. \] Together with the vertical angles at \(P\), these equalities yield the SAS similarities \[ \triangle PAC\sim\triangle PMK, \qquad \triangle PBC\sim\triangle PML. \] All these triangles are nondegenerate because \(P\) lies on neither \(AC\) nor \(BC\). Hence \[ \frac{MK}{AC}=\frac{PM}{PA}, \qquad \frac{ML}{BC}=\frac{PM}{PB}. \] Dividing and using (1), we conclude that \[ \frac{MK}{ML} =\frac{AC}{BC}\cdot\frac{PB}{PA} =1. \] Therefore \(MK=ML\), as required.

The solution was checked against the official IMO shortlist solutions.