Problem

Source: IMO Shortlist 1993, Canada 2

Tags: inequalities, geometry, circumcircle, inradius, trigonometry, IMO Shortlist, geometric inequality



Let triangle $ABC$ be such that its circumradius is $R = 1.$ Let $r$ be the inradius of $ABC$ and let $p$ be the inradius of the orthic triangle $A'B'C'$ of triangle $ABC.$ Prove that \[ p \leq 1 - \frac{1}{3 \cdot (1+r)^2}. \]

HIDE: Similar Problem posted by Pascual2005 Let $ABC$ be a triangle with circumradius $R$ and inradius $r$. If $p$ is the inradius of the orthic triangle of triangle $ABC$, show that $\frac{p}{R} \leq 1 - \frac{\left(1+\frac{r}{R}\right)^2}{3}$. Note. The orthic triangle of triangle $ABC$ is defined as the triangle whose vertices are the feet of the altitudes of triangle $ABC$. SOLUTION 1 by mecrazywong: $p=2R\cos A\cos B\cos C,1+\frac{r}{R}=1+4\sin A/2\sin B/2\sin C/2=\cos A+\cos B+\cos C$. Thus, the ineqaulity is equivalent to $6\cos A\cos B\cos C+(\cos A+\cos B+\cos C)^2\le3$. But this is easy since $\cos A+\cos B+\cos C\le3/2,\cos A\cos B\cos C\le1/8$. SOLUTION 2 by Virgil Nicula: I note the inradius $r'$ of a orthic triangle. Must prove the inequality $\frac{r'}{R}\le 1-\frac 13\left( 1+\frac rR\right)^2.$ From the wellknown relations $r'=2R\cos A\cos B\cos C$ and $\cos A\cos B\cos C\le \frac 18$ results $\frac{r'}{R}\le \frac 14.$ But $\frac 14\le 1-\frac 13\left( 1+\frac rR\right)^2\Longleftrightarrow \frac 13\left( 1+\frac rR\right)^2\le \frac 34\Longleftrightarrow$ $\left(1+\frac rR\right)^2\le \left(\frac 32\right)^2\Longleftrightarrow 1+\frac rR\le \frac 32\Longleftrightarrow \frac rR\le \frac 12\Longleftrightarrow 2r\le R$ (true). Therefore, $\frac{r'}{R}\le \frac 14\le 1-\frac 13\left( 1+\frac rR\right)^2\Longrightarrow \frac{r'}{R}\le 1-\frac 13\left( 1+\frac rR\right)^2.$ SOLUTION 3 by darij grinberg: I know this is not quite an ML reference, but the problem was discussed in Hyacinthos messages #6951, #6978, #6981, #6982, #6985, #6986 (particularly the last message).