MathLabs

Problem 6

Let ABCABC be an equilateral triangle. Let A1,B1,C1A_1,B_1,C_1 be interior points of ABCABC such that BA1=A1CBA_1=A_1C, CB1=B1ACB_1=B_1A, AC1=C1BAC_1=C_1B, and ∠BA1C+∠CB1A+∠AC1B=480∘\angle BA_1C+\angle CB_1A+\angle AC_1B=480^\circ. Let A2=BC1∩CB1A_2=BC_1\cap CB_1, B2=CA1∩AC1B_2=CA_1\cap AC_1, C2=AB1∩BA1C_2=AB_1\cap BA_1. Prove that if triangle A1B1C1A_1B_1C_1 is scalene, then the circumcircles of triangles AA1A2AA_1A_2, BB1B2BB_1B_2, and CC1C2CC_1C_2 all pass through two common points.
Step 4 of 6: A coaxiality lemma pins down each circumcircle
In plain words

The locus of points whose power with respect to two fixed circles has a constant ratio is itself a circle, and A, A1, A2 all satisfy the same ratio condition, so that locus must be exactly the circle named in the problem.

Ca=(AA1A2)={P:pow⁡(P,ωb)=kapow⁡(P,ωc)}\mathcal C_a=(AA_1A_2)=\{P:\operatorname{pow}(P,\omega_b)=k_a\operatorname{pow}(P,\omega_c)\}
Detailed analysis

Let the line AA1AA_1 meet ωb\omega_b again at XX and ωc\omega_c again at YY, and use directed ratios ka=AXAYk_a=\dfrac{AX}{AY}. The circles ωb,ωc\omega_b,\omega_c are distinct and share A1,A2A_1,A_2, so they are not concentric. The coaxiality lemma says that the locus La:Pow⁡(P,ωb)=kaPow⁡(P,ωc)L_a:\operatorname{Pow}(P,\omega_b)=k_a\operatorname{Pow}(P,\omega_c) is a circle when ka≠1k_a\ne1, and is a line when ka=1k_a=1. Here A1,A2∈LaA_1,A_2\in L_a because both powers are zero, while on AA1AA_1 the secant-power theorem gives Pow⁡(A,ωb)=AX⋅AA1\operatorname{Pow}(A,\omega_b)=AX\cdot AA_1 and Pow⁡(A,ωc)=AY⋅AA1\operatorname{Pow}(A,\omega_c)=AY\cdot AA_1, so A∈LaA\in L_a by the definition of kak_a. The points A,A1,A2A,A_1,A_2 are noncollinear, hence LaL_a cannot be a line; thus ka≠1k_a\ne1 and LaL_a is exactly Ca=(AA1A2)\mathcal C_a=(AA_1A_2). The directed-angle chase in the two auxiliary circles gives ∠XAB1=30∘−β\angle XAB_1=30^\circ-\beta, ∠A1XB1=30∘+γ\angle A_1XB_1=30^\circ+\gamma, and, similarly, ∠YAC1=30∘−γ\angle YAC_1=30^\circ-\gamma, ∠A1YC1=30∘+β\angle A_1YC_1=30^\circ+\beta. Applying the sine rule in △AB1X\triangle AB_1X and △AC1Y\triangle AC_1Y therefore yields AXAB1=sin⁡(β+γ)sin⁡(30∘+γ)\dfrac{AX}{AB_1}=\dfrac{\sin(\beta+\gamma)}{\sin(30^\circ+\gamma)} and AYAC1=sin⁡(β+γ)sin⁡(30∘+β)\dfrac{AY}{AC_1}=\dfrac{\sin(\beta+\gamma)}{\sin(30^\circ+\beta)}. These are the required directed-angle calculations, not an appeal to an unlabeled diagram. Define Cb,Cc\mathcal C_b,\mathcal C_c and kb,kck_b,k_c cyclically.