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USAMO 1972 - 2021 66p

geometry problems from United States of America Mathematical Olympiads (a.k.a USAMO)
with aops links in the names


USAMO 2000 - 19 EN with solutions by Evan Chen 
bonus : USAMO 2003 Official Recommended Marking Scheme

more USA Competitions in appendix: UK USA Canada

1972 - 2021

A given tetrahedron ABCD is isoceles, that is, AB= CD, AC = BD, AD= BC. Show that the faces of the tetrahedron are acute-angled triangles.

A given convex pentagon ABCDE has the property that the area of each of five triangles ABC, BCD, CDE, DEA, and EAB is unity (equal to 1). Show that all pentagons with the above property have the same area, and calculate that area. Show, furthermore, that there are infinitely many non-congruent pentagons having the above area property.

Two points P and Q lie in the interior of a regular tetrahedron ABCD. Prove that angle PAQ < 60^\circ.

Consider the two triangles ABC and PQR shown below. In triangle ABC, \angle ADB = \angle BDC =\angle CDA= 120^\circ. Prove that x= u +v + w.

Let A,B,C, and D denote four points in space and AB the distance between A and B, and so on. Show that AC^2 + BD^2 + AD^2 BC^2 \ge AB^2 + CD^2.



Two given circles intersect in two points P and Q. Show how to construct a segment AB passing through P and terminating on the circles such that AP \cdot PB is a maximum.

If A and B are fixed points on a given circle and XY is a variable diameter of the same circle, determine the locus of the point of intersection of lines AX and BY. You may assume that AB is not a diameter.

If the sum of the lengths of the six edges of a trirectangular tetrahedron PABC (i.e., \angle APB = \angle BPC=\angle CPA = 90^\circ) is S, determine its maximum volume.

ABC and A'B'C' are two triangles in the same plane such that the lines AA',BB',CC' are mutually parallel. Let [ABC] denotes the area of triangle ABC with an appropriate \pm sign, etc.; prove that 3([ABC] +[A'B'C']) = [AB'C'] +[BC'A'] + [CA'B'] +[A'BC] + [B'CA] + [C'AB].


Prove that if the opposite sides of a skew (non-planar) quadrilateral are congruent, then the line joining the midpoints of the two diagonals is perpendicular to these diagonals, and conversely, if the line joining the midpoints of the two diagonals of a skew quadrilateral is perpendicular to these diagonals, then the opposite sides of the quadrilateral are congruent.

ABCD and A'B'C'D' are square maps of the same region, drawn to different scales and superimposed as shown in the figure. Prove that there is only one point O on the small map that lies directly over point O' of the large map such that O and O' each represent the same place of the country. Also, give a Euclidean construction (straight edge and compass) for O.


a) Prove that if the six dihedral (i.e. angles between pairs of faces) of a given tetrahedron are congruent, then the tetrahedron is regular.
b) Is a tetrahedron necessarily regular if five dihedral angles are congruent?

Let S be a great circle with pole P.  On any great circle through P, two points A and B are chosen equidistant from P.  For any  spherical triangle ABC (the sides are great circles ares), where C is on S, prove that the great circle are CP is the angle bisector of angle C.

Note: A great circle on a sphere is one whose center is the center of the sphere.  A pole of the great circle S is a point P on the sphere such that the diameter through P is perpendicular to the plane of S.

Show how to construct a chord BPC of a given angle A through a given point P such that \tfrac{1}{BP}+ \tfrac{1}{PC} is a maximum.

The inscribed sphere of a given tetrahedron touches all four faces of the tetrahedron at their respective centroids. Prove that the tetrahedron is regular.

The sum of the measures of all the face angles of a given complex polyhedral angle is equal to the sum of all its dihedral angles. Prove that the polyhedral angle is a trihedral angle.

Note: A convex polyhedral angle may be formed by drawing rays from an exterior point to all points of a convex polygon.

A,B, and C are three interior points of a sphere S such that AB and AC are perpendicular to the diameter of S through A, and so that two spheres can be constructed through A, B, and C which are both tangent to S. Prove that the sum of their radii is equal to the radius of S.

Six segments S_1, S_2, S_3, S_4, S_5, and S_6 are given in a plane. These are congruent to the edges AB, AC, AD, BC, BD, and CD, respectively, of a tetrahedron ABCD. Show how to construct a segment congruent to the altitude of the tetrahedron from vertex A with straight-edge and compasses.

1984 USAMO problem 3
P, A, B, C, and D are five distinct points in space such that \angle APB = \angle BPC = \angle CPD = \angle DPA = \theta, where \theta is a given acute angle. Determine the greatest and least values of \angle APC + \angle BPD.

Let A,B,C,D denote four points in space such that at most one of the distances AB,AC,AD,BC,BD,CD is greater than 1. Determine the maximum value of the sum of the six distances.

Two distinct circles K_1 and K_2 are drawn in the plane. They intersect at points A and B, where AB is the diameter of K_1. A point P on K_2 and inside K_1 is also given.

Using only a "T-square" (i.e. an instrument which can produce a straight line joining two points and the perpendicular to a line through a point on or off the line), find a construction for two points C and D on K_1 such that CD is perpendicular to AB and \angle CPD is a right angle.

AD, BE, and CF are the bisectors of the interior angles of triangle ABC, with D, E, and F lying on the perimeter.  If angle EDF is 90 degrees, determine all possible values of angle BAC.


Three circles C_i are given in the plane: C_1 has diameter AB of length 1; C_2 is concentric and has diameter k (1 < k < 3); C_3 has center A and diameter 2k.  We regard k as fixed.  Now consider all straight line segments XY which have one endpoint X on C_2, one endpoint Y on C_3, and contain the point B.  For what ratio XB/BY will the segment XY have minimal length?

Let I be the incenter of triangle ABC, and let A', B', and C' be the circumcenters of triangles IBC, ICA, and IAB, respectively.  Prove that the circumcircles of triangles ABC and A'B'C' are concentric.

Let ABC be an acute-angled triangle whose side lengths satisfy the inequalities AB < AC < BC. If point I is the center of the inscribed circle of triangle ABC and point O is the center of the circumscribed circle, prove that line IO intersects segments AB and BC.

An acute-angled triangle ABC is given in the plane. The circle with diameter \, AB \, intersects altitude \, CC' \, and its extension at points \, M \, and \, N \,, and the circle with diameter \, AC \, intersects altitude \, BB' \, and its extensions at \, P \, and \, Q \,. Prove that the points \, M, N, P, Q \, lie on a common circle.

Let \, D \, be an arbitrary point on side \, AB \, of a given triangle \, ABC, \, and let \, E \, be the interior point where \, CD \, intersects the external common tangent to the incircles of triangles \, ACD \, and \, BCD.  As \, D \, assumes all positions between \, A \, and \, B \,, prove that the point \, E \, traces the arc of a circle.

Chords AA^{\prime}, BB^{\prime}, CC^{\prime} of a sphere meet at an interior point P but are not contained in a plane.  The sphere through A, B, C, P is tangent to the sphere through A^{\prime}, B^{\prime}, C^{\prime}, P. Prove that \, AA' = BB' = CC'.

Let \, ABCD \, be a convex quadrilateral such that diagonals \, AC \, and \, BD \, intersect at right angles, and let \, E \, be their intersection.  Prove that the reflections of \, E \, across \, AB, \, BC, \, CD, \, DA \, are concyclic.


A convex hexagon ABCDEF is inscribed in a circle such that AB = CD = EF and diagonals AD, BE, and CF are concurrent. Let P be the intersection of AD and CE. Prove that CP/PE = (AC/CE)^2.

Given a nonisosceles, nonright triangle ABC, let O denote the center of its circumscribed circle, and let A_1, B_1, and C_1 be the midpoints of sides BC, CA, and AB, respectively. Point A_2 is located on the ray OA_1 so that OAA_1 is similar to OA_2A. Points B_2 and C_2 on rays OB_1 and OC_1, respectively, are defined similarly. Prove that lines AA_2, BB_2, and CC_2 are concurrent, i.e. these three lines intersect at a point.

Let ABC be a triangle.  Prove that there is a line \ell (in the plane of triangle ABC) such that the intersection of the interior of triangle ABC and the interior of its reflection A'B'C' in \ell has area more than \frac23 the area of triangle ABC.

Let ABC be a triangle, and M an interior point such that \angle MAB=10^\circ, \angle MBA=20^\circ, \angle MAC=40^\circ and \angle MCA=30^\circ. Prove that the triangle is isosceles.

Let ABC be a triangle. Take points D, E, F on the perpendicular bisectors of BC, CA, AB respectively. Show that the lines through A, B, C perpendicular to EF, FD, DE respectively are concurrent.

Let {\cal C}_1 and {\cal C}_2 be  concentric circles, with {\cal C}_2 in the interior of  {\cal C}_1. From a point A on {\cal C}_1 one draws the tangent AB to {\cal C}_2 (B\in {\cal C}_2). Let C be the second point of intersection of AB and {\cal C}_1, and let D be the midpoint of AB. A line passing through A intersects {\cal C}_2 at E and F in such a way that the perpendicular  bisectors of DE and CF intersect at a point M on AB. Find, with proof,  the ratio AM/MC.

Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral. Prove that |AB - CD| + |AD - BC| \geq 2|AC - BD|. 


Let ABCD be an isosceles trapezoid with AB \parallel CD. The inscribed circle \omega of triangle BCD meets CD at E. Let F be a point on the (internal) angle bisector of \angle DAC such that EF \perp CD. Let the circumscribed circle of triangle ACF meet line CD at C and G. Prove that the triangle AFG is isosceles.

Let A_1A_2A_3 be a triangle and let \omega_1 be a circle in its plane passing through A_1 and A_2. Suppose there exist circles \omega_2, \omega_3, \dots, \omega_7 such that for k = 2, 3, \dots, 7, \omega_k is externally tangent to \omega_{k-1} and passes through A_k and A_{k+1},  where A_{n+3} = A_{n} for all n \ge 1. Prove that \omega_7 = \omega_1.

2001 USAMO problem 2
Let ABC be a triangle and let \omega be its incircle. Denote by D_1 and E_1 the points where \omega is tangent to sides BC and AC, respectively. Denote by D_2 and E_2 the points on sides BC and AC, respectively, such that CD_2=BD_1 and CE_2=AE_1, and denote by P the point of intersection of segments AD_2 and BE_2. Circle \omega intersects segment AD_2 at two points, the closer of which to the vertex A is denoted by Q. Prove that AQ=D_2P.

2001 USAMO problem 4
Let P be a point in the plane of triangle ABC such that the segments PA, PB, and PC are the sides of an obtuse triangle. Assume that in this triangle the obtuse angle opposes the side congruent to PA. Prove that \angle BAC is acute.

2002 USAMO problem 2
Let ABC be a triangle such that
\left( \cot \dfrac{A}{2} \right)^2 + \left( 2\cot \dfrac{B}{2} \right)^2 + \left( 3\cot \dfrac{C}{2} \right)^2 = \left( \dfrac{6s}{7r} \right)^2, 
where s and r denote its semiperimeter and its inradius, respectively. Prove that triangle ABC is similar to a triangle T whose side lengths are all positive integers with no common divisors and determine these integers.

2003 USAMO problem 4
Let ABC be a triangle. A circle passing through A and B intersects segments AC and BC at D and E, respectively. Lines AB and DE intersect at F, while lines BD and CF intersect at M. Prove that MF = MC if and only if MB\cdot MD = MC^2.

Let ABCD be a quadrilateral circumscribed about a circle, whose interior and exterior angles are at least 60 degrees. Prove that \frac{1}{3}|AB^3 - AD^3| \le |BC^3 - CD^3| \le 3|AB^3 - AD^3|.   When does equality hold?

2004 USAMO problem 6
A circle \omega is inscribed in a quadrilateral ABCD. Let I be the center of \omega. Suppose that (AI + DI)^2 + (BI + CI)^2 = (AB + CD)^2. Prove that ABCD is an isosceles trapezoid.

2005 USAMO problem 3
Let ABC be an acute-angled triangle, and let P and Q be two points on its side BC. Construct a point C_{1} in such a way that the convex quadrilateral APBC_{1} is cyclic, QC_{1}\parallel CA, and C_{1} and Q lie on opposite sides of line AB. Construct a point B_{1} in such a way that the convex quadrilateral APCB_{1} is cyclic, QB_{1}\parallel BA, and B_{1} and Q lie on opposite sides of line AC.  Prove that the points B_{1}, C_{1}, P, and Q lie on a circle.

2006 USAMO problem 6
Let ABCD be a quadrilateral, and let E and F be points on sides AD and BC, respectively, such that \frac{AE}{ED} = \frac{BF}{FC}. Ray FE meets rays BA and CD at S and T, respectively. Prove that the circumcircles of triangles SAE, SBF, TCF, and TDE pass through a common point.

2007 USAMO problem 6
Let ABC be an acute triangle with \omega,S, and R being its incircle, circumcircle, and circumradius, respectively. Circle \omega_{A} is tangent internally to S at A and tangent externally to \omega. Circle S_{A} is tangent internally to S at A and tangent internally to \omega. Let P_{A} and Q_{A} denote the centers of \omega_{A} and S_{A}, respectively. Define points P_{B}, Q_{B}, P_{C}, Q_{C} analogously. Prove that
8P_{A}Q_{A}\cdot P_{B}Q_{B}\cdot P_{C}Q_{C}\leq R^{3}\; , with equality if and only if triangle ABC is equilateral.

2008 USAMO problem 2
Let ABC be an acute, scalene triangle, and let M, N, and P be the midpoints of \overline{BC}, \overline{CA}, and \overline{AB}, respectively. Let the perpendicular bisectors of \overline{AB} and \overline{AC} intersect ray AM in points D and E respectively, and let lines BD and CE intersect in point F, inside of triangle ABC. Prove that points A, N, F, and P all lie on one circle.

2009 USAMO problem 1
Given circles \omega_1 and \omega_2 intersecting at points X and Y, let \ell_1 be a line through the center of \omega_1 intersecting \omega_2 at points P and Q and let \ell_2 be a line through the center of \omega_2 intersecting \omega_1 at points R and S.  Prove that if P, Q, R and S lie on a circle then the center of this circle lies on line XY.

2009 USAMO problem 5
Trapezoid ABCD, with \overline{AB}\parallel{}\overline{CD}, is inscribed in circle \omega and point G lies inside triangle BCD.  Rays AG and BG meet \omega again at points P and Q, respectively.  Let the line through G parallel to \overline{AB} intersects \overline{BD} and \overline{BC} at points R and S, respectively.  Prove that quadrilateral PQRS is cyclic if and only if \overline{BG} bisects \angle CBD.

2010 USAMO problem 1
Let AXYZB be a convex pentagon inscribed in a semicircle of diameter AB. Denote by
P, Q, R, S the feet of the perpendiculars from Y onto lines AX, BX, AZ, BZ, respectively.  Prove that the acute angle formed by lines PQ and RS is half the size of \angle XOZ, where O is the midpoint of segment AB.

2011 USAMO problem 3
In hexagon ABCDEF, which is nonconvex but not self-intersecting, no pair of opposite sides are parallel.  The internal angles satisfy \angle A=3\angle D, \angle C=3\angle F, and \angle E=3\angle B.  Furthermore AB=DE, BC=EF, and CD=FA.  Prove that diagonals \overline{AD}, \overline{BE}, and \overline{CF} are concurrent.

2011 USAMO problem 5
Let P be a given point inside quadrilateral ABCD.  Points Q_1 and Q_2 are located within ABCD such that \angle Q_1BC=\angle ABP,\quad\angle Q_1CB=\angle DCP,\quad\angle Q_2AD=\angle BAP,\quad\angle Q_2DA=\angle CDP. Prove that \overline{Q_1Q_2}\parallel\overline{AB} if and only if   \overline{Q_1Q_2}\parallel\overline{CD}.

2012 USAMO problem 5
Let P be a point in the plane of \triangle ABC, and \gamma a line passing through P. Let A', B', C' be the points where the reflections of lines PA, PB, PC with respect to \gamma intersect lines BC, AC, AB respectively. Prove that A', B', C' are collinear.

2013 USAMO problem 1
In triangle ABC, points P, Q, R lie on sides BC, CA, AB respectively.  Let \omega_A, \omega_B, \omega_C denote the circumcircles of triangles AQR, BRP, CPQ, respectively.  Given the fact that segment AP intersects \omega_A, \omega_B, \omega_C again at X, Y, Z, respectively, prove that YX/XZ=BP/PC.

2013 USAMO problem 6
Let ABC be a triangle.  Find all points P on segment BC satisfying the following property:  If X and Y are the intersections of line PA with the common external tangent lines of the circumcircles of triangles PAB and PAC, then \left(\frac{PA}{XY}\right)^2+\frac{PB\cdot PC}{AB\cdot AC}=1.

2014 USAMO problem 5
Let ABC be a triangle with orthocenter H and let P be the second intersection of the circumcircle of triangle AHC with the internal bisector of the angle \angle BAC.  Let X be the circumcenter of triangle APB and Y the orthocenter of triangle APC.  Prove that the length of segment XY is equal to the circumradius of triangle ABC.

2015 USAMO problem 2
Quadrilateral APBQ is inscribed in circle \omega with \angle P = \angle Q = 90^{\circ} and AP = AQ < BP. Let X be a variable point on segment \overline{PQ}. Line AX meets \omega again at S (other than A). Point T lies on arc AQB of \omega such that \overline{XT} is perpendicular to \overline{AX}. Let M denote the midpoint of chord \overline{ST}. As X varies on segment \overline{PQ}, show that M moves along a circle.

2016 USAMO problem 3
Let \triangle ABC be an acute triangle, and let I_B, I_C, and O denote its B-excenter, C-excenter, and circumcenter, respectively.  Points E and Y are selected on \overline{AC} such that \angle ABY=\angle CBY and \overline{BE}\perp\overline{AC}.  Similarly, points F and Z are selected on \overline{AB} such that \angle ACZ=\angle BCZ and \overline{CF}\perp\overline{AB}.  Lines \overleftrightarrow{I_BF} and \overleftrightarrow{I_CE} meet at P.  Prove that \overline{PO} and \overline{YZ} are perpendicular.

 by Evan Chen & Telv Cohl 
2016 USAMO problem 5
An equilateral pentagon AMNPQ is inscribed in triangle ABC such that M\in\overline{AB}, Q\in\overline{AC}, and N,P\in\overline{BC}. Let S be the intersection of \overleftrightarrow{MN} and \overleftrightarrow{PQ}. Denote by \ell the angle bisector of \angle MSQ.  Prove that \overline{OI} is parallel to \ell, where O is the circumcenter of triangle ABC, and I is the incenter of triangle ABC.

2017 USAMO problem 3
Let ABC be a scalene triangle with circumcircle \Omega and incenter I. Ray AI meets \overline{BC} at D and meets \Omega again at M; the circle with diameter \overline{DM} cuts \Omega again at K. Lines MK and BC meet at S, and N is the midpoint of \overline{IS}. The circumcircles of \triangle KID and \triangle MAN intersect at points L_1 and L_2. Prove that \Omega passes through the midpoint of either \overline{IL_1} or \overline{IL_2}.

 by Evan Chen
2018 USAMO problem 5
In convex cyclic quadrilateral ABCD, we know that lines AC and BD intersect at E, lines AB and CD intersect at F, and lines BC and DA intersect at G. Suppose that the circumcircle of \triangle ABE intersects line CB at B and P, and the circumcircle of \triangle ADE intersects line CD at D and Q, where C,B,P,G and C,Q,D,F are collinear in that order. Prove that if lines FP and GQ intersect at M, then \angle MAC = 90^\circ.

2019 USAMO problem 2
Let ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral satisfying AD^2 + BC^2 = AB^2. The diagonals of ABCD intersect at E. Let P be a point on side \overline{AB} satisfying \angle APD = \angle BPC. Show that line PE bisects \overline{CD}.
by Ankan Bhattacharya
Let ABC be a fixed acute triangle inscribed in a circle \omega with center O. A variable point X is chosen on minor arc AB of \omega, and segments CX and AB meet at D. Denote by O_1 and O_2 the circumcenters of triangles ADX and BDX, respectively. Determine all points X for which the area of triangle OO_1O_2 is minimized.
by Zuming Feng
Rectangles BCC_1B_2, CAA_1C_2, and ABB_1A_2 are erected outside an acute triangle ABC. Suppose that\angle BC_1C+\angle CA_1A+\angle AB_1B=180^{\circ}.
Prove that lines B_1C_2, C_1A_2, and A_1B_2 are concurrent.

Let ABCDEF be a convex hexagon satisfying \overline{AB} \parallel \overline{DE}, \overline{BC} \parallel \overline{EF}, \overline{CD} \parallel \overline{FA}, and
\[
AB \cdot DE = BC \cdot EF = CD \cdot FA.
\]Let X, Y, and Z be the midpoints of \overline{AD}, \overline{BE}, and \overline{CF}. Prove that the circumcenter of \triangle ACE, the circumcenter of \triangle BDF, and the orthocenter of \triangle XYZ are collinear.

2 comments:

  1. 2020 USAMO Problem 2 is miscited, it was actually problem 1.
    https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c1209089_2020_usomo

    ReplyDelete