Asian Pacific KiteA problem from the 1993 Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad led Vo Duc Dien to the following extension: Let ABCD be a quadrilateral such that all sides have equal length and angle ABC is 60°. Let l be a line passing through D and not intersecting the quadrilateral (except at D). Let E and F be the points of intersection of l with AB and BC respectively. Let M be the point of intersection of CE and AF. Find the locus of point M. The applet below illustrates the configuration.
 |Activities| |Contact| |Front page| |Contents| |Geometry| |Store| Copyright © 1996-2012 Alexander Bogomolny Let ABCD be a quadrilateral such that all sides have equal length and angle ABC is 60°. Let l be a line passing through D and not intersecting the quadrilateral (except at D). Let E and F be the points of intersection of l with AB and BC respectively. Let M be the point of intersection of CE and AF. Find the locus of point M. In fact, the configuration exhibits one additional property. Let C(AEM) and C(CFM) be the circumcircles of the respective triangles. The two circles intersect in M and one other point N. Is can be seen in the applet, N is collinear with EF.
As was originally shown, It was established that ∠AMC = 120°, for the configuration where E and F lie exterior to ΔABC. Thus, for this configuration, M lies on the arc AC of the circumcircle C(ABC). As the applet illustrates, for other positions of E and F, M traces the whole of that circle. (The proof must of course be modified, for, when M is above line AC, ∠AMC = 60°.) Now, let's show that N is collinear with E and F. Since in C(AEM), inscribed ∠AME = 60° and is subtended by arc AE, Consider angles MNE and MNF. ∠MNE is inscribed in C(AEM) and is subtended by the
Similarly, ∠MNF = 120° - α. It follows that
Which shows that ∠ENF is straight and the three points are indeed collinear. |Activities| |Contact| |Front page| |Contents| |Geometry| |Store| Copyright © 1996-2012 Alexander Bogomolny |
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