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Ireland geometry
Problem
A triangle ABC is inscribed in a circle, centre O, and , , are the mid-points of , , respectively. The point is free to move on the circumference of the circle. Find the locus of , the midpoint of .

Solution
Let and be the midpoints of and respectively. Let meet at . Then and . Similarly , hence , i.e. is the midpoint of .
Let be the midpoint of . Then and . Similarly and . Since then . So the circle with centre and radius passes through . As moves on the circumference of the circle, the points , , and remain fixed. Thus will always lie on the circumference of the circle centre and radius equal to half the radius of the circumcircle.
Let be the midpoint of . Then and . Similarly and . Since then . So the circle with centre and radius passes through . As moves on the circumference of the circle, the points , , and remain fixed. Thus will always lie on the circumference of the circle centre and radius equal to half the radius of the circumcircle.
Final answer
A fixed circle: the circle centered at the midpoint of the segment joining the circle’s center to the midpoint of the fixed side, with radius equal to half of the circumradius.
Techniques
TrianglesCirclesConstructions and loci