Let be a point in acute-angle triangle .
is the intersection of and . are defined similarly.
is the intersection of and . are defined similarly.
Let be the intersection of and and be the intersection of and .
is the intersection of with and is the intersection of with .
When is the circumcentre , .
When is the orthocentre , .
Find where we measure the angles in degrees.
Note : Where intersections between sides are described it is assumed the sides are extended if necessary.
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Solution using areal coordinates:
Let A = ( 1 , 0 , 0 ) , B = ( 0 , 1 , 0 ) , C = ( 0 , 0 , 1 ) , O = ( l , m , n ) then we have: D = ( 0 , m , n ) , E = ( l , 0 , n ) , F = ( l , m , 0 )
The line A D has equation y n − m z = 0 and E F has equation − x n m + y n l + z l m = 0 . It follows that X = ( 2 l , m , n ) is on both lines. Symettrically, we have Y = ( l , 2 m , n ) , Z = ( l , m , 2 n ) .
The line X Y has equation − m n x − n l y + 3 m l z = 0 and C F has equation − x m + y l = 0 . Again, P = ( 3 l , 3 m , 2 n ) is on both of these lines. By symmetry, Q = ( 3 l , 2 m , 3 n ) .
It follows then that R = ( 0 , 3 m , 2 n ) , S = ( 0 , 2 m , 3 n ) so R C B R = 3 m 2 n .
It is known that the circumcentre has coordinates ( s i n ( 2 A ) , s i n ( 2 B ) , s i n ( 2 C ) ) and the orthocentre: ( t a n ( A ) , t a n ( B ) , t a n ( C ) )
So 3 s i n ( 2 B ) 2 s i n ( 2 C ) = 9 4 3 ⇒ s i n ( 2 B ) s i n ( 2 C ) = 3 2 3 ⇒ s i n ( B ) c o s ( B ) s i n ( C ) c o s ( C ) = 3 2 3
And: 3 t a n ( B ) 2 t a n ( C ) = 3 2 3 ⇒ s i n ( B ) c o s ( C ) c o s ( B ) s i n ( C ) = 3
Multiplying these two gives: ( s i n ( B ) s i n ( C ) ) 2 = 3 6 = 2 ⇒ s i n ( B ) s i n ( C ) = 2
Putting this back into the first expression gives c o s ( B ) c o s ( C ) = 3 6
Combining c o s ( C ) = 3 6 c o s ( B ) ⇒ ( c o s ( C ) ) 2 = 3 2 ( c o s ( B ) ) 2 and s i n ( C ) = 2 s i n ( B ) ⇒ ( s i n ( C ) ) 2 = 2 ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 gives:
( c o s ( C ) ) 2 + ( s i n ( C ) ) 2 = 1 = 2 ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 + 3 2 ( c o s ( B ) ) 2 = 3 4 ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 + 3 2 ( c o s ( B ) ) 2 + ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 ) = 3 4 ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 + 3 2
⇒ 3 1 = 3 4 ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 ⇒ ( s i n ( B ) ) 2 = 4 1 ⇒ s i n ( B ) = 2 1 ⇒ ∠ B = 3 0 ∘ as A B C is acute.
s i n ( C ) = 2 s i n ( B ) ⇒ s i n ( C ) = 2 2 ⇒ ∠ C = 4 5 ∘
So ∠ B 4 × ∠ C = 3 0 1 8 0 = 6 .
I wonder if someone can come up with a more elegant solution.