Complex Bashing

1. Properties
𝑎+𝑏
Property 1. The midpoint 𝑀 of segment 𝐴𝐵 is 𝑚 = 2 .

Property 2. Three points 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶 are collinear if and only if there exists a real number 𝜆
such that 𝑐 = 𝜆𝑎 + (1 − 𝜆)𝑏.
𝑎+𝑏+𝑐
Property 3. The centroid 𝐺 of a triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶 is 3 .

Property 4. A quadrilateral 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 is a parallelogram if and only if 𝑎 + 𝑐 = 𝑏 + 𝑑.

Property 5. A spiral similarity centred at a complex number 𝑤 is a map
𝑧 ↦ 𝛼(𝑧 − 𝑤) + 𝑤

rotating a complex number 𝑧 by arg 𝛼 and dilating by |𝛼|.

Property 6. Let 𝑊 be the reflection of 𝑍 over a given segment 𝐴𝐵. Then

(𝑎 − 𝑏)𝑧 + 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎𝑏
𝑤= .
𝑎−𝑏
Property 7. The foot of the altitude from 𝑍 to segment 𝐴𝐵 is given by

(𝑎 − 𝑏)𝑧 + (𝑎 − 𝑏)𝑧 + 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎𝑏
.
2(𝑎 − 𝑏)

Property 8. The complex number 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑 have the property 𝐴𝐵 ⟂ 𝐶𝐷 if and only if

𝑑−𝑐 𝑑−𝑐
+( ) = 0.
𝑏−𝑎 𝑏−𝑎

Property 8. Complex numbers 𝑧, 𝑎, 𝑏 are collinear if and only if

𝑧−𝑎 𝑧−𝑎
=( ).
𝑧−𝑏 𝑧−𝑏
Property 9. If 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 are complex numbers, then the signed area of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶 is given by

𝑖 |𝑎 𝑎 1|
| 𝑏 𝑏 1|.
4 | |
| 𝑐 𝑐 1|
In particular, the points 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 are collinear if and only if the determinant is zero.
Property 10. For any 𝑧 on the unit circle, 𝑧 = 1𝑧 .
Property 11. If 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑥 all lie on the unit circle, then 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑐 = 0 if and only if 𝐴𝑋 ⟂ 𝐵𝐶.
Property 12. If 𝑎 and 𝑏 (𝑎 ≠ 𝑏), are on the unit circle and 𝑧 is an arbitrary complex
number, then the foot from 𝑍 to segment 𝐴𝐵 is given by
1
(𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑧 − 𝑎𝑏𝑧).
2
In the case 𝑎 = 𝑏, we obtain the foot from 𝑍 to the tangent at 𝐴.

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Property 13. Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle, and assume 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 all lie on the unit circle. Then
(a) The circumcenter is 𝑜 = 0.
(b) The centroid is 𝑔 = 13 (𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐).
(c) The orthocenter is 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐.
In particular, the points 𝑂, 𝐺, 𝐻 are collinear in a 1 : 2 ratio.
Property 14. If 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 lie on the unit circle, and 𝐻 is the orthocenter of 𝐴𝐵𝐶, the point
𝑛9 = 12 (𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐) is a distance of 12 from the midpoint of 𝐵𝐶, the midpoint of 𝐴𝐻, and the
foot from 𝐴 to 𝐵𝐶.
Property 15. Let 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑑 be distinct complex numbers, not all collinear. Then 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶, 𝐷
are concyclic if and only if
𝑏−𝑎 𝑏−𝑑
÷
𝑐−𝑎 𝑐−𝑑
is a real number.
Property 16. Two triangles 𝐴𝐵𝐶 and 𝑋𝑌 𝑍 are directly similar if and only if

|𝑎 𝑥 1|
0 = | 𝑏 𝑦 1|.
| |
| 𝑐 𝑧 1|
Property 17. If lines 𝐴𝐵 and 𝐶𝐷 are not parallel then their intersection is given by

(𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎𝑏)(𝑐 − 𝑑) − (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑐𝑑 − 𝑐𝑑)

.
(𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑐 − 𝑑) − (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑐 − 𝑑)

In particular, if |𝑎| = |𝑏| = |𝑐| = |𝑑| = 1 then this simplifies to

𝑎𝑏(𝑐 + 𝑑) − 𝑐𝑑(𝑎 + 𝑏)
.
𝑎𝑏 − 𝑐𝑑
Property 18. Suppose 𝑋 and 𝑌 are the intersection points of two circles. Points 𝐴 and 𝐵 lie
on the first circle, 𝐶 and 𝐷 on the second, such that lines 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐵𝐷 pass through 𝑋. Then
𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐
𝑦= .
𝑎+𝑑−𝑏−𝑐
Property 19. Let 𝐴 and 𝐵 be points on the unit circle with 𝑎 + 𝑏 ≠ 0. Then
2𝑎𝑏 2
=
𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+𝑏
is the intersection point of the tangents at 𝐴 and 𝐵.
Property 20. Given 𝐴𝐵𝐶 on the unit circle, it is possible to pick complex numbers 𝑢, 𝑣, 𝑤
such that
(a) 𝑎 = 𝑢2 , 𝑏 = 𝑣2 , 𝑐 = 𝑤2 , and
(b) the midpoint of arc 𝐵𝐶 ⏜ not containing 𝐴 is −𝑣𝑤; the analogous midpoints opposite 𝐵
and 𝐶 are −𝑤𝑢 and −𝑢𝑣. In this case the incenter 𝐼 is given by −(𝑢𝑣 + 𝑣𝑤 + 𝑤𝑢).

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Property 21. The circumcenter of a triangle 𝑋𝑌 𝑍 is given by the quotient

|𝑥 𝑥𝑥 1| |𝑥 𝑥 1|
|𝑦 𝑦𝑦 1| ÷ |𝑦 𝑦 1|.
| | | |
| 𝑧 𝑧𝑧 1| | 𝑧 𝑧 1|

2. Problems
Problem 1. Let 𝐻 be the orthocenter of 𝐴𝐵𝐶. Let 𝑋 be the reflection of 𝐻 over 𝐵𝐶 and 𝑌
the reflection over the midpoint of 𝐵𝐶. Prove that 𝑋 and 𝑌 lie on (𝐴𝐵𝐶), and 𝐴𝑌 is a
diameter.
Problem 2. Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle with orthocenter 𝐻 and let 𝑃 be a point on (𝐴𝐵𝐶).
(a) Show that the feet from 𝑃 onto 𝐴𝐵, 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴 are collinear.
(b) Show that the Simson line at 𝑃 bisects 𝑃 𝐻.
Problem 3. (The Feuerbach Tangency). Show that the incircle and the nine-point circle
of a (non-equilateral) triangle are tangent to each other. (The point of tangency is called the
Feuerbach point.)
Problem 4. (USA TSTST 2013/1). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle and 𝐷, 𝐸, 𝐹 be the midpoints
of arcs 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, 𝐴𝐵 on the circumcircle. Line 𝑙𝑎 passes through the feet of the perpendiculars
from 𝐴 to 𝐷𝐵 and 𝐷𝐶. Line 𝑚𝑎 passes through the feet of the perpendiculars from 𝐷 to 𝐴𝐵
and 𝐴𝐶. Let 𝐴1 denote the intersection of lines 𝑙𝑎 and 𝑚𝑎 . Define points 𝐵1 and 𝐶1 similarly.
Prove that triangles 𝐷𝐸𝐹 and 𝐴1 𝐵1 𝐶1 are similar to each other.
Problem 5. (USAMO 2012/5). Let 𝑃 be a point in the plane of 𝐴𝐵𝐶, and 𝛾 be a line
passing through 𝑃 . Let 𝐴′ , 𝐵′ , 𝐶 ′ be the points where the reflections of lines 𝑃 𝐴, 𝑃 𝐵, 𝑃 𝐶
with respect to 𝛾 intersect lines 𝐵𝐶, 𝐴𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 respectively. Prove that 𝐴′ , 𝐵′ , 𝐶 ′ are collinear.
Problem 6. Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle. Show that it is equilateral if and only if 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 + 𝑐2 =
𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏𝑐 + 𝑐𝑎.
Problem 7. Give a proof of the inscribed angle theorem using complex numbers.
Problem 8. Show that a point 𝑃 lies on a chord 𝐴𝐵 of the unit circle if and only if
𝑝 + 𝑎𝑏𝑝 = 𝑎 + 𝑏.
Problem 9. Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 be a cyclic quadrilateral. Let 𝐻𝐴 , 𝐻𝐵 , 𝐻𝐶 , 𝐻𝐷 denote the
orthocenters of triangles 𝐵𝐶𝐷, 𝐶𝐷𝐴, 𝐷𝐴𝐵, and 𝐴𝐵𝐶, respectively. Prove that 𝐴𝐻𝐴 , 𝐵𝐻𝐵 ,
𝐶𝐻𝐶 , and 𝐷𝐻𝐷 concur.
Problem 10. Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 be a quadrilateral circumscribed around a circle with center 𝐼.
Prove that 𝐼 lies on the line joining the midpoints of 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐵𝐷.
Problem 11. (Chinese TST 2011). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle, and let 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶 be points on
its circumcircle, diametrically opposite 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶, respectively. Let 𝑃 be any point inside 𝐴𝐵𝐶
and let 𝐷, 𝐸, 𝐹 be the feet of the altitudes from 𝑃 onto 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, 𝐴𝐵, respectively. Let
𝑋, 𝑌 , 𝑍 denote the reflections of 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶 over 𝐷, 𝐸, 𝐹 , respectively. Show that triangles 𝑋𝑌 𝑍
and 𝐴𝐵𝐶 are similar to each other.
Problem 12. (Napoleon’s Theorem). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle and erect equilateral
triangles on sides 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, 𝐴𝐵 outside of 𝐴𝐵𝐶 with centers 𝑂𝐴 , 𝑂𝐵 , 𝑂𝐶 . Prove that
𝑂𝐴 𝑂𝐵 𝑂𝐶 is equilateral and that its center coincides with the centroid of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶.

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Problem 13. (USAMO 2015/2). Quadrilateral 𝐴𝑃 𝐵𝑄 is inscribed in circle 𝜔 with ∠𝑃 =
∠𝑄 = 90◦ and 𝐴𝑃 = 𝐴𝑄 < 𝐵𝑃 . Let 𝑋 be a variable point on segment 𝑃 𝑄. Line 𝐴𝑋 meets 𝜔
again at 𝑆 (other than 𝐴). Point 𝑇 lies on arc 𝐴𝑄𝐵 of 𝜔 such that 𝑋𝑇 is perpendicular to
𝐴𝑋. Let 𝑀 denote the midpoint of chord 𝑆𝑇 . As 𝑋 varies on segment 𝑃 𝑄, show that 𝑀
moves along a circle.
Problem 14. (MOP 2006). Point 𝐻 is the orthocenter of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶. Points 𝐷, 𝐸, and
𝐹 lie on the circumcircle of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶 such that 𝐴𝐷 ∥ 𝐵𝐸 ∥ 𝐶𝐹 . Points 𝑆, 𝑇 , and 𝑈 are
the respective reflections of 𝐷, 𝐸, and 𝐹 across the lines 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, and 𝐴𝐵. Prove that
𝑆, 𝑇 , 𝑈 , and 𝐻 are concyclic.
Problem 15. (USA January TST for IMO 2014). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 be a cyclic quadrilateral,
and let 𝐸, 𝐹 , 𝐺, and 𝐻 be the midpoints of 𝐴𝐵, 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐷, 𝐷𝐴, respectively. Let 𝑊 , 𝑋, 𝑌 , and
𝑍 be the orthocenters of triangles 𝐴𝐻𝐸, 𝐵𝐸𝐹 , 𝐶𝐹 𝐺, and 𝐷𝐺𝐻, respectively. Prove that
quadrilaterals 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 and 𝑊 𝑋𝑌 𝑍 have the same area.
Problem 16. (Online Math Open Fall 2013). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle with 𝐴𝐵 = 13,
𝐴𝐶 = 25, and tan 𝐴 = 34 . Denote the reflections of 𝐵, 𝐶 across 𝐴𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 by 𝐷, 𝐸, respectively,
and let 𝑂 be the circumcenter of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶. Let 𝑃 be a point such that
△ 𝐷𝑃 𝑂 ∼ △ 𝑃 𝐸𝑂, and let 𝑋 and 𝑌 be the midpoints of the major and minor arcs 𝐵𝐶 of
the circumcircle of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶. Find 𝑃 𝑋 · 𝑃 𝑌 .
Problem 17. Consider angles 𝐴, 𝐵, 𝐶 in the open interval (−90◦ , 90◦ ).
(a) Let 𝑥 = tan 𝐴, 𝑦 = tan 𝐵, 𝑧 = tan 𝐶. Prove that
𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 − 𝑥𝑦𝑧
tan(𝐴 + 𝐵 + 𝐶) = ,
1 − (𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦𝑧 + 𝑧𝑥)

and is undefined otherwise.

(b) Generalize to multiple variables.
Problem 18. (Schiffler Point). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle with incenter 𝐼. Prove that the
Euler lines of triangles 𝐴𝐼𝐵, 𝐵𝐼𝐶, 𝐶𝐼𝐴, and 𝐴𝐵𝐶 are concurrent (called the Schiffler point
of 𝐴𝐵𝐶).
Problem 19. (IMO 2009/2). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle with circumcenter 𝑂. The points 𝑃
and 𝑄 are interior points of the sides 𝐶𝐴 and 𝐴𝐵, respectively. Let 𝐾, 𝐿, and 𝑀 be the
midpoints of the segments 𝐵𝑃 , 𝐶𝑄, and 𝑃 𝑄, respectively, and let Γ be the circle passing
through 𝐾, 𝐿, and 𝑀 . Suppose that the line 𝑃 𝑄 is tangent to the circle Γ.
Prove that 𝑂𝑃 = 𝑂𝑄.
Problem 20. (APMO 2010/4). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be an acute triangle with 𝐴𝐵 > 𝐵𝐶 and 𝐴𝐶 >
𝐵𝐶. Denote by 𝑂 and 𝐻 the circumcenter and orthocenter of 𝐴𝐵𝐶. Suppose that the
circumcircle of triangle 𝐴𝐻𝐶 intersects the line 𝐴𝐵 at 𝑀 (other than 𝐴), and the
circumcircle of triangle 𝐴𝐻𝐵 intersects the line 𝐴𝐶 at 𝑁 (other than 𝐴). Prove that the
circumcenter of triangle 𝑀 𝑁 𝐻 lies on line 𝑂𝐻.
Problem 21. (Shortlist 2006/G9). Points 𝐴1 , 𝐵1 , 𝐶1 are chosen on the sides 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, 𝐴𝐵
of a triangle ABC respectively. The circumcircles of triangles 𝐴𝐵1 𝐶1 , 𝐵𝐶1 𝐴1 , 𝐶𝐴1 𝐵1 intersect
the circumcircle of triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶 again at points 𝐴2 , 𝐵2 , 𝐶2 respectively (𝐴2 ≠ 𝐴, 𝐵2 ≠
𝐵, 𝐶2 ≠ 𝐶). Points 𝐴3 , 𝐵3 , 𝐶3 are symmetric to 𝐴1 , 𝐵1 , 𝐶1 with respect to the midpoints of
the sides 𝐵𝐶, 𝐶𝐴, 𝐴𝐵 respectively. Prove that triangles 𝐴2 𝐵2 𝐶2 and 𝐴3 𝐵3 𝐶3 are similar.

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Problem 22. (MOP 2006). Given a cyclic quadrilateral 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷 with circumcenter 𝑂 and a
point 𝑃 on the plane, let 𝑂1 , 𝑂2 , 𝑂3 , 𝑂4 denote the circumcenters of triangles
𝑃 𝐴𝐵, 𝑃 𝐵𝐶, 𝑃 𝐶𝐷, 𝑃 𝐷𝐴 respectively. Prove that the midpoints of segments 𝑂1 𝑂3 , 𝑂2 𝑂4 , and
𝑂𝑃 are collinear.
Problem 23. (Shortlist 1998/G6). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷𝐸𝐹 be a convex hexagon such that ∠𝐵 +
∠𝐷 + ∠𝐹 = 360◦ and
𝐴𝐵 𝐶𝐷 𝐸𝐹
⋅ ⋅ = 1.
𝐵𝐶 𝐷𝐸 𝐹 𝐴
Prove that
𝐵𝐶 𝐴𝐸 𝐹 𝐷
⋅ ⋅ = 1.
𝐶𝐴 𝐸𝐹 𝐷𝐵
Problem 24. (ELMO Shortlist 2013). Let 𝐴𝐵𝐶 be a triangle inscribed in circle 𝜔, and
let the medians from 𝐵 and 𝐶 intersect 𝜔 at 𝐷 and 𝐸 respectively. Let 𝑂1 be the center of
the circle through 𝐷 tangent to 𝐴𝐶 at 𝐶, and let 𝑂2 be the center of the circle through 𝐸
tangent to 𝐴𝐵 at 𝐵. Prove that 𝑂1 , 𝑂2 , and the nine-point center of 𝐴𝐵𝐶 are collinear.