MathLabs

Problem 1

Chords ABAB and CDCD of a circle intersect at EE inside the circle. Let MM be an interior point of EBEB. The tangent at EE to the circle through D,E,MD,E,M meets BCBC and ACAC at F,GF,G. If t=AM/ABt=AM/AB, find EF/EGEF/EG.
Step 1 of 3: First similarity
△CEF∼△AMD,EFCE=MDAM\triangle CEF\sim\triangle AMD,\qquad \frac{EF}{CE}=\frac{MD}{AM}
Detailed analysis

Because ABCD is cyclic, ∠ECF=∠DCB=∠DAB=∠MAD\angle ECF=\angle DCB=\angle DAB=\angle MAD. The tangent-chord theorem for the circle DEM gives ∠CEF=∠EMD=∠AMD\angle CEF=\angle EMD=\angle AMD. Hence △CEF∼△AMD\triangle CEF\sim\triangle AMD, so EFCE=MDAM\frac{EF}{CE}=\frac{MD}{AM}.