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Intersection of Bisectors (Posted on 2012-12-01) Difficulty: 3 of 5
 
Let Γ be a circle with center O. Let AC be a chord of  Γ (not containing O).
Let D be a point on chord AC (not A or C). The line through D and perpendicular to AC intersects Γ in points B1 and B2. Let H1 and H2 be the orthocenters of triangles
AB1C and AB2C respectively.

Define the point of intersection of the bisectors of angles H1B1O and H2B2O and
prove your result.
 

  Submitted by Bractals    
Rating: 3.0000 (1 votes)
Solution: (Hide)


Why the restriction that chord AC does not contain point O?
If it did, then ∠AB1C = ∠AB2C = 90° and therefore H1 = B1
and H2 = B2. What then is the meaning of the bisector of
∠B1B1O and ∠B2B2O?

WOLOG assume that ∠AB1C > 90°. From Coincide or Perpendicular
we know that the bisector of ∠H1B1O is perpendicular to the
bisector of ∠AB1C. There are two cases:

Case I: The bisector of ∠H1B1O is tangent to Γ.

In this case line B1B2 is the perpendicular bisector of chord AC.
The bisector of ∠H2B2O (which coincides with the bisector of ∠AB2C)
is ray B2B1. Therefore, the bisectors intersect at point B1.

Case II: The bisector of ∠H1B1O is not tangent to Γ.

Let the bisector of ∠H1B1O intersect Γ again at point P1. Let the
bisector of ∠AB1C intersect Γ again at point P2. Since these
bisectors are perpendicular, line segment P1P2 contains point O.
We will show that ray B2P1 bisects ∠H2B2O.

First construct line segments OB1 and OB2.

     ∠B2B1P2 + ∠P2B1P1 + ∠P1B1H1 = ∠B2B1H1 = 2*∠P2B1P1
  ⇒ ∠B2B1P2 + ∠P1B1H1 = ∠P2B1P1
  ⇒ ∠B2B1P2 + ∠OB1P1 = ∠P2B1O + ∠OB1P1
  ⇒ ∠B2B1P2 = ∠P2B1O                                   (*)

     ∠H2B2P1 = ∠B1B2P1
             = ∠B1P2P1
             = ∠B1P2O
             = ∠P2B1O
             = ∠B2B1P2                    from (*)
             = ∠B2P1P2
             = ∠B2P1O
             = ∠P1B2O

  ⇒ B2P1 bisects ∠H2B2O

From the above we have

     ∠B1P2P1 = ∠B2B1P2
  ⇒ P1P2 || B1B2
  ⇒ P1P2 ⊥ AC
  ⇒ P1P2 is the perpendicular bisector of AC with P1 in arc (AB1C).

Therefore, the intersection of the bisector of ∠H1B1O and the
bisector of ∠H2B2O is the point P1 which is independent of the
point D on chord AC.

QED

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Proof.Jer2012-12-03 13:56:48
From sketchpad. No proof.Jer2012-12-03 13:10:40
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