Locus of a point on triangle side

geometry

Let $P$ be a point on line segment $XY$. On the perpendicular line to $XY$ through $P$ lies point $Z$. Prove that for any position of $Z$ there is a unique point $Q$ on line segment $XZ$ for which $\angle ZYQ = \angle ZXY $. The perpendicular line on $XZ$ through $Q$ then always passes through the same (fixed) point $R$ on line segment $XY$, independent of the position of $Z$.

From geogebra it seems that
$$\angle ZSQ = \angle ZYQ =\angle ZXY $$ and
$$\angle YZP = \angle YQS$$
$S$ is the intersection of $ZP$ and $QR$.
Holding $Z$ and shifting $Q$ on $XZ$ does not affect $\angle ZSQ$.

Best Answer

WLOG, suppose $XY$ is on the $x$-axis. Let us define points $X,Y$ as $(-a,0)$ and $(a,0)$, respectively. Then, $Z$ should be defined as point $(b,z)$. Additionally, point $Q=\left(q,-\frac{z}{a+b}\left(q+a\right)\right)$. For $a,b,z,q \in \Bbb R$.

We have the following equations for lines $XZ, QY$ and $ZY$

$$XZ: y=\frac{z}{a+b}\left(x+a\right)\qquad m_1=\frac{z}{a+b}\\ ZY:y=-\frac{z}{a-b}\left(x-a\right)\qquad m_2=-\frac{z}{a-b}\\ QY:y=-\frac{z(a+q)}{(a+b)(a-q)}\left(x-a\right))\qquad m_3=-\frac{z(a+q)}{(a+b)(a-q)}$$

Since we should have $\angle ZYQ=\angle ZXY$, we want the angle between lines $QY$ and $ZY$ be equal to $\angle ZXY$ Thus, we have: $$\frac{m_2-m_3}{1+m_2m_3}=m_1$$ Substituting the slopes from the equations above, we get that $m_2$ should be: $$m_2\to-\frac{2 a z (a+b)}{(a+b)^2 (a-q)-z^2 (a+q)}$$ However, we already know that $m_2=-\frac z{a-b}$, therefore: $$-\frac{2 a z (a+b)}{(a+b)^2 (a-q)-z^2 (a+q)}=-\frac{z}{a-b}\\ q\to -\frac{a \left((a+b) (a-3 b)+z^2\right)}{(a+b)^2+z^2}\tag{1}$$

This gives us $q$ such that $\angle ZXY=\angle ZYQ$.


Now the line perpendicular to $XZ$ through $Q$ is defined by the line: $$y=-\frac{a+b}{z}\left(x-q\right)+\frac{z}{a+b}\left(q+a\right)$$ Which has a zero of (i.e. $R=(x,0)$): $$x\to \frac{z^2 (a+q)}{(a+b)^2}+q\tag{2}$$ Since we already know $q$, substituting $(1)$ in $(2)$, and we get: $$\bbox[20px,border:1px black solid]{x\to-\frac{a (a-3 b)}{a+b}\implies \therefore R \text{ is definitely invariant to } Z}$$

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