Can You Generalize?

Geometry Level 4

A B C ABC is a triangle with A B = 360 AB=360 , B C = 240 BC=240 , C A = 180 CA=180 . The internal and external angle bisectors of C A B \angle CAB meet B C BC and B C BC produced at P P and Q Q respectively. Find the circumradius of A P Q . APQ.


The answer is 160.

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2 solutions

Sharky Kesa
Sep 5, 2016

Since A P AP is an internal bisector of C A B \angle CAB ,

P B P C = A B A C = 2 \dfrac{PB}{PC} = \dfrac {AB}{AC} = 2

Hence, C P = 80 CP=80 and P B = 160 PB=160 .

Since A Q AQ is an external bisector of B A C \angle BAC ,

Q B Q C = A B A C = 2 \dfrac{QB}{QC} = \dfrac {AB}{AC} = 2

Hence, Q B = 2 Q C QB=2QC and therefore Q C + 240 = 2 Q C QC+240=2QC , which means Q C = 240 QC=240 .

Also, Q A P = 9 0 \angle QAP=90^{\circ} , which means Q P QP is the diameter of the circumcircle of A P Q APQ . But Q P = Q C + P C = 240 + 80 = 320 QP=QC+PC = 240 + 80=320 . Thus, the circumradius is 160 160 .

The essential crux of the problem is that P and Q are harmonic conjugates with respect to B and C. The circumcircle of triangle APQ is essentially the appolonius circle of triangle ABC.There are many interesting facts related to that.

Indraneel Mukhopadhyaya - 4 years, 9 months ago

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Yeah, this harmonic configuration can give rise to tonnes of problems.

Sharky Kesa - 4 years, 9 months ago

By Angle Bisector Theorem and Ratio proportion Dividendo-Componendo, P C P B = A C A B = 180 360 = 1 2 . P C P B + P C = 1 1 + 2 . P C = B C 1 3 = 80 . Q C Q B = A C A B = 180 360 = 1 2 Q C Q B Q C = 1 1 2 . Q C = B C 1 1 = 240 . But internal and external angle bisectors are at right angles. So PQ is the hypotenuse of Δ A P Q . I t s R = 1 2 h y p o t e n u s e = 1 2 ( 80 + 240 ) = 160. G e n e r a l i s a t i o n : Using the above method we get, R = a b c b 2 c 2 . \text{By Angle Bisector Theorem and Ratio proportion Dividendo-Componendo,}\\ \dfrac {PC}{PB}=\dfrac{AC}{AB}=\dfrac{180}{360}=\frac 1 2.\\ \therefore\ \dfrac {PC}{PB+PC}=\frac 1 {1+2}.\ \ \implies\ \color{#3D99F6}{PC=BC*\frac 1 3=80}.\\ \dfrac {QC}{QB}=\dfrac{AC}{AB}=\dfrac{180}{360}=\frac 1 2\\ \therefore\ \dfrac {QC}{QB-QC}=\frac 1 {1-2}.\ \ \implies\ \color{#3D99F6}{QC=BC*\frac 1 1=240}.\\ \text{But internal and external angle bisectors are at right angles. So PQ is the hypotenuse of }\ \Delta\ APQ.\\ Its\ R=\frac 1 2* hypotenuse=\frac 1 2 *(80+240)=\Large\ \ \ \color{#D61F06}{160}.\\ \ \ \ \\ \\ Generalisation:-\\ \text{Using the above method we get,}\\ \color{#3D99F6}{R=\dfrac{a*b*c}{|b^2-c^2|}.}

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