IMO 2013 · Problem 3

Let the excircle of triangle \(ABC\) opposite the vertex \(A\) be tangent to the side \(BC\) at the point \(A_1\). Define the points \(B_1\) on \(CA\) and \(C_1\) on \(AB\) analogously, using the excircles opposite \(B\) and \(C\), respectively. Suppose that the circumcentre of triangle \(A_1B_1C_1\) lies on the circumcircle of triangle \(ABC\). Prove that triangle \(ABC\) is right-angled.

The excircle of triangle \(ABC\) opposite the vertex \(A\) is the circle that is tangent to the line segment \(BC\), to the ray \(AB\) beyond \(B\), and to the ray \(AC\) beyond \(C\). The excircles opposite \(B\) and \(C\) are similarly defined.

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

Solution

Let \(O,I,H\) be the circumcentre, incentre and orthocentre of \(ABC\), and let \(Q\) be the circumcentre of \(A_1B_1C_1\). Write \[ a=BC,\qquad b=CA,\qquad c=AB,\qquad s=\frac{a+b+c}{2}, \] and put \[ x=s-a,\qquad y=s-b,\qquad z=s-c. \] Thus \(x,y,z>0\) and \[ a=y+z,\qquad b=z+x,\qquad c=x+y. \] Equality of tangent lengths gives \[ BA_1=z,\quad CA_1=y,\quad CB_1=x,\quad AB_1=z, \quad AC_1=y,\quad BC_1=x. \] These contact points are noncollinear: a line cannot meet the interiors of all three sides of a triangle.

Let \(R,r\) be the circumradius and inradius. From the area formulas and Heron’s formula, \[ abc=4Rrs,\qquad xyz=r^2s. \] Consequently, if \(t=R/r\), then \[ 4txyz=abc. \tag{1} \]

We first establish the following formula, using position vectors with origin \(O\): \[ \boxed{\ \mathbf q=t\mathbf h-(t+1)\mathbf i.\ } \tag{2} \]

Define \(J\) by the right-hand side of (2). To verify that \(J=Q\), temporarily take \(A\) as origin. The position vector of \(J\) is now \[ \mathbf j=2\mathbf o-\mathbf i+t(\mathbf h-\mathbf i). \] Let \(\mathbf e,\mathbf f\) be unit vectors along \(AB,AC\), respectively. The circumcentre and orthocentre equations, together with the incircle’s tangent lengths, give \[ \begin{aligned} \mathbf o\cdot\mathbf e&=\frac c2, &\mathbf o\cdot\mathbf f&=\frac b2,\\ \mathbf i\cdot\mathbf e&=x, &\mathbf i\cdot\mathbf f&=x,\\ \mathbf h\cdot\mathbf e&=b\cos A, &\mathbf h\cdot\mathbf f&=c\cos A. \end{aligned} \] For example, the last row follows from \(CH\perp AB\) and \(BH\perp AC\).

The cosine rule yields \[ \cos A=\frac{xs-yz}{bc}, \] so \[ b\cos A-x=\frac{z(x-y)}c,\qquad c\cos A-x=\frac{y(x-z)}b. \] Therefore \[ \mathbf j\cdot\mathbf e=y+\frac{tz(x-y)}c, \qquad \mathbf j\cdot\mathbf f=z+\frac{ty(x-z)}b. \] Since \(\overrightarrow{AB_1}=z\mathbf f\) and \(\overrightarrow{AC_1}=y\mathbf e\), we obtain \[ \begin{aligned} 2\mathbf j\cdot(z\mathbf f-y\mathbf e) &=2(z^2-y^2) +2tyz\left(\frac{x-z}{b}-\frac{x-y}{c}\right)\\ &=2(z^2-y^2)+\frac{4txyz(y-z)}{bc}\\ &=2(z^2-y^2)+a(y-z)\\ &=z^2-y^2, \end{aligned} \] where we used (1) and \(a=y+z\). This is precisely the equality \(JB_1^2=JC_1^2\). Applying the same argument cyclically shows that \(JA_1=JB_1=JC_1\). Hence \(J=Q\), proving (2).

Return now to origin \(O\), and denote the vertex vectors by \(\mathbf a,\mathbf b,\mathbf c\). We have \[ \mathbf h=\mathbf a+\mathbf b+\mathbf c, \qquad \mathbf i=\frac{a\mathbf a+b\mathbf b+c\mathbf c}{2s}. \] The first identity follows from the altitude equations; for instance, \((\mathbf b+\mathbf c)\cdot(\mathbf b-\mathbf c)=0\). The second follows from \([IBC]:[ICA]:[IAB]=a:b:c\).

Put \(L=a^2+b^2+c^2\). Since all three vertex vectors have length \(R\), and \(\mathbf a\cdot\mathbf b=R^2-c^2/2\), with cyclic analogues, expansion gives \[ |\mathbf i|^2 =R^2-\frac{abc}{2s} =R^2-2Rr, \tag{3} \] \[ |\mathbf h|^2=9R^2-L, \tag{4} \] and \[ 4\mathbf h\cdot\mathbf i =12R^2-2L+\frac{a^3+b^3+c^3}{s}. \tag{5} \] Also, substituting \(a=y+z,b=z+x,c=x+y\) gives \[ \begin{aligned} sL-(a^3+b^3+c^3) &=a^2x+b^2y+c^2z\\ &=abc+4xyz\\ &=4rs(R+r). \end{aligned} \] Thus (4) and (5) imply \[ 4\mathbf h\cdot\mathbf i =|\mathbf h|^2+3R^2-4r(R+r). \tag{6} \]

Substituting (3) and (6) into (2), and using \(R=tr\), we find \[ \begin{aligned} |\mathbf q|^2-R^2 &=t^2|\mathbf h|^2+(t+1)^2|\mathbf i|^2 -2t(t+1)\mathbf h\cdot\mathbf i-R^2\\ &=\frac{t(t-1)}2\bigl(|\mathbf h|^2-R^2\bigr). \end{aligned}\tag{7} \] Equation (3) gives \(R\ge 2r\), so \(t\ge2\). By hypothesis, \(|\mathbf q|=R\); hence (7) forces \[ |\mathbf h|=R. \]

Finally, if \(H=B\) or \(H=C\), the triangle is right-angled at that vertex. Otherwise, using \(\mathbf h=\mathbf a+\mathbf b+\mathbf c\), \[ (\mathbf h-\mathbf b)\cdot(\mathbf h-\mathbf c) =R^2+\mathbf a\cdot\mathbf b+\mathbf b\cdot\mathbf c +\mathbf c\cdot\mathbf a =\frac{|\mathbf h|^2-R^2}{2}=0. \] Thus \(BH\perp CH\). Since \(BH\perp AC\) and \(CH\perp AB\), it follows that \(AB\perp AC\). Therefore \(ABC\) is right-angled. \(\square\)

The solution was checked against the official IMO shortlist solutions.