Sharygin Correspondence Round: Problem 10

Shuborno Das

Problem :
Let N be the midpoint of arc ABC of the circumcircle of triangle ABC, and N P , N T be
the tangents to the incircle of this triangle. The lines BP and BT meet the circumcircle for the
second time at points P1 and T1 respectively. Prove that P P1 = T T1 .

Solution :

Let M be the midpoint of arc AC not containing B. As N is the midpoint of arc BC

containing B, M N is the diameter of (ABC). Let I be the incenter of 4ABC.

Claim 1. P, I, T, N, B are concyclic points.

1
 2

Proof: As M N is the diameter of (ABC),

∠N BI = ∠N BM = 90◦ .

As N P and N T are tangents to incircle of 4ABC,

∠N P I = ∠N T I = 90◦ .

Therefore P, I, T, N, B are concyclic points. 

Claim 2. AC || P1 T1 .

Proof: As P I = IT , and P BIT is cyclic,

∠P1 BM = ∠P BI = ∠IBT = ∠M BT1 .

Therefore P1 M = M T1 . Also M is the midpoint of arc BC not containing BC, AM = M C.

Therefore AP1 = CT1 , giving AC || P1 T1 . 

Claim 3. 4N P T ∼ 4N P1 T1 and 4IP T ∼ 4M P1 T1 .

Proof: From claim 2 and as N A = N C, N P1 = N T1 . As N P, N T are tangents to incir-

cle, N P = N T . From claim 1,

∠P N T = ∠P BT = ∠P1 BT1 = ∠P1 N T1 .

Therefore 4N P T ∼ 4N P1 T1 .

From claim 2, M P1 = M T1 and also IP = IT . As N M is the diameter of (ABC),

∠N P1 M = ∠N T1 M = 90◦ = ∠N P I = ∠N T I.

Therefore 4IP T ∼ 4M P1 T1 . 

Main Problem. From claim 3, N is the center of a spiral similarity, say Ψ mapping 4P IT to
4P1 M T1 . Ψ maps P to P1 , I to M and T to T1 . Therefore 4N P P1 ∼ 4N T T1 . As N P = N T ,

4N P P1 ∼
= 4N T T1 .

This gives P P1 = T T1 .