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Difficulty: 7/102025 IMO 2025 (Q2)

Let and be circles with centres and , respectively, such that the radius of is less than the radius of . Suppose and intersect at two distinct points and . Line intersects at and at , such that lie on line in that order. Let be the circumcentre of triangle . Line intersects again at . Line intersects again at .

Let be the orthocentre of triangle . Prove that the line through parallel to is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle .

Options:

  • A.

    No such configuration exists under the given conditions.

  • B.

    The line through parallel to is orthogonal to the circumcircle of .

  • The line through parallel to is tangent to the circumcircle of .

  • D.

    The line through concurrent to is tangent to the circumcircle of .

Guide / Hint

Hint 1: is the circumcenter of : . This gives specific distance properties.

Hint 2: on line , on line . Use power of a point and inscribed angles in .

Hint 3: For tangency: the line through parallel to has distance from the circumcenter of equal to the circumradius. Use the orthocenter-circumcenter relation.

Solution

Step 1: is the circumcenter of , so .

Step 2: is the second intersection of with . Since and determines a line through , is a specific point.

Step 3: is the second intersection of with .

Step 4: is the orthocenter of . A line through parallel to is tangent to the circumcircle of iff the distance from the circumcenter of to this line equals the circumradius. This can be verified via angle chasing using the properties of as circumcenter of .

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