The line passing through vertex $A$ of triangle $ABC$ and parallel to $BC$ meets the circumcircle of $ABC$ for the second time at point $A_1$. Points $B_1$ and $C_1$ are defined similarly. Prove that the perpendiculars from $A_1, B_1, C_1$ to $BC, CA, AB$ respectively concur.
Problem
Source: Sharygin 2011 Final 8.3
Tags: geometry, perpendicular, concurrency, concurrent, circumcircle
jayme
14.12.2018 08:47
Dear Mathlinkers, to begin consider G the median point of ABC Sincerely Jean-Louis
jayme
15.12.2018 09:04
Dear Mathlinkers, they concur at the anticomplemrnt of H (orthocenter of ABC). Sincerely Jean-Louis
rubikscube2010
15.12.2018 21:53
[asy][asy]
import olympiad;
size(8cm);
defaultpen(fontsize(10pt));
pair A=dir(-29), B=dir(209), C=dir(72);
pair A_1 = dir(310), B_1=dir(-29-137), C_1=dir(108);
pair A_2 = dir(-29-180), B_2=dir(209-180), C_2=dir(72-180);
draw(circumcircle(A,B,C));
draw(A--B--C--A);
draw(A--A_1--A_2, blue+dashed);
draw(B--B_1--B_2, blue+dashed);
draw(C--C_1--C_2, blue+dashed);
label("$A$",A,(1,-1));
label("$B$",B,(-1,-1));
label("$C$",C,(1,1));
label("$A_1$",A_1,(1,-1));
label("$B_1$",B_1,(-1,-1));
label("$C_1$",C_1,(0,1));
[/asy][/asy]
Firstly, note that since $\overline{AA_1} \parallel \overline{BC}$ and $A_1 \in (ABC)$, we get that $AA_1BC$ is an isosceles trapezoid. Similarly, $ABB_1C$ and $ABC_1C$ are also isosceles trapezoids.
Now, by Carnot's theorem, the perpendiculars from $A_1$, $B_1$, $C_1$ to $\overline{BC}$, $\overline{AC}$ and $\overline{AB}$ respectively are concurrent if and only if
$${AC_1}^2-{BC_1}^2+{A_1B}^2-{A_1C}^2+{B_1C}^2-{B_1A}^2 = 0$$.
Since $AA_1BC$ is an isosceles trapezoid, we know that its legs are the same length and its diagonals are the same length. This means that $A_1B = AC$ and $A_1C = AB$. Similarly, for the other two isosceles trapezoids, we get that $B_1C = AB$, $AB_1 = BC$, $BC_1 = AC$ and $BC = AC_1$.
Substituting these back into the expression, we get that
$$ {AC_1}^2-{BC_1}^2+{A_1B}^2-{A_1C}^2+{B_1C}^2-{B_1A}^2 = {BC}^2-{AC}^2+{AC}^2-{AB}^2+{AB}^2-{BC}^2 = 0$$
which means that the perpendiculars from $A_1$, $B_1$, $C_1$ to $\overline{BC}$, $\overline{CA}$, and $\overline{AB}$ respectively are concurrent as desired.
Can't you just say that this concurrency point is the isotomic conjuate of the orthocenter?
I don't know where I got the idea from but I'm pretty sure i got it from @above