Forum Geometricorum

Volume 12 (2012) 39–46.

FORUM GEOM
ISSN 1534-1178

Synthetic Proofs of Two Theorems Related to

the Feuerbach Point

Nguyen Minh Ha and Nguyen Pham Dat

Abstract. We give synthetic proofs of two theorems on the Feuerbach point of a

triangle, one of Paul Yiu, and another of Lev Emelyanov and Tatiana Emelyanova
theorem.

1. Introduction
If S is a point belonging to the circumcircle of triangle ABC, then the images of
S through the reflections with axes BC, CA and AB respectively lie on the same
line that passes through the orthocenter of ABC. This line is called the Steiner line
of S with respect to triangle ABC.
If a line L passes through the orthocenter of ABC, then the images of L through
the reflections with axes BC, CA and AB are concurrent at one point on the
circumcircle of ABC. This point is named the anti-Steiner point of L with respect
to ABC. Of course, L is Steiner line of S with respect to ABC if and only if S
is the anti-Steiner point of L with respect to ABC. In 2005, using homogenous
barycentric coordinates, Paul Yiu [5] established an interesting theorem related to
the Feuerbach point of a triangle; see also [3, Theorem 5].
Theorem 1. The Feuerbach point of triangle ABC is the anti-Steiner point of the
Euler line of the intouch triangle of ABC with respect to the same triangle. 1
In 2009, J. Vonk [4] introduced a geometrically synthetic proof of Theorem 1.
In 2001, by calculation, Lev Emelyanov and Tatiana Emelyanova [1] established
a theorem that is also very interesting and also related to the Feuerbach point of a
triangle.
Theorem 2. The circle through the feet of the internal bisectors of triangle ABC
passes through the Feuerbach point of the triangle.
In this article, we present a synthetic proof of Theorem 1, which is different
from Vonk’s proof, and one for Theorem 2. We use (O), I(r), (XY Z) to denote
respectively the circle with center O, the circle with center I and radius r, and the
circumcircle of triangle XY Z. As in [2, p.12], the directed angle from the line
Publication Date: March 22, 2012. Communicating Editor: J. Chris Fisher.
The authors thank Professor Chris Fisher for his valuable comments and suggestions.
1The anti-Steiner point of the Euler line is called the Euler reflection point in [3].
40 M. H. Nguyen and P. D. Nguyen

a to the line b denoted by (a, b). It measures the angle through which a must be
rotated in the positive direction in order to become parallel to, or to coincide with,
b. Therefore,
(i) −90◦ ≤ (a, b) ≤ 90◦ ,
(ii) (a, b) = (a, c) + (c, b),
(iii) If a and b are the images of a and b respectively under a reflection, then
(a, b) = (b , a ),
(iv) Four noncollinear points A, B, C, D are concyclic if and only if (AC, AD) =
(BC, BD).

2. Preliminary results
Lemma 3. Let ABC be a triangle inscribed in a circle (O), and L an arbitrary
line. Let the parallels of L through A, B, C intersect the circle at D, E, F respec-
tively. The lines La , Lb , Lc are the perpendiculars to BC, CA, AB through D, E,
F respectively.
(a) The lines La , Lb , Lc are concurrent at a point S on the circle (O),
(b) The Steiner line of S with respect to ABC is parallel to L.

S A
E

O F

B C

Figure 1.

Proof. Let S be the intersection of La and (O). Let  be the line through O per-
pendicular to L (see Figure 1).
(a) Because A, B, and C are the images of D, E, and F through the reflections
with axis L respectively,

(F E, F D) = (CA, CB). (1)

Synthetic proofs of two theorems related to the Feuerbach point 41

Therefore, we have
(SE, AC) = (SE, SD) + (SD, BC) + (BC, AC)
= (F E, F D) + 90◦ + (BC, AC) (F ∈ (SDE), SD ⊥ BC)
◦
= (CA, CB) + 90 + (BC, AC)
= 90◦ .
Therefore, SE coincides Lb , i.e., S lies on Lb . Similarly, S also lies on Lc , and the
three lines La , Lb , Lc are concurrent at S on the circle (O).
(b) Let B1 , C1 respectively be the images of S through the reflections with axes
CA, AB. Let B2 , C2 respectively be the intersection points of SB1 , SC1 with AC,
AB (see Figure 2). Obviously, B2 , C2 are the midpoints of SB1 , SC1 respectively.
Thus,
B2 C2 //B1 C1 . (2)
Since SB2 , SC2 are respectively perpendicular to AC, AB,
S ∈ (AB2 C2 ). (3)

B2 B1

S A
E

L C2

 C1

O F

B C

Figure 2.

Therefore, we have
(B1 C1 , L) = (B1 C1 , AD) (L//AD)
= (B2 C2 , AD) (by (2))
= (B2 C2 , AC2 ) + (AB, AD) (B ∈ AC2 )
= (B2 S, AS) + (AB, AD) (by (3))
= (ES, AS) + (AB, AD) (E ∈ B2 S)
= (ED, AD) + (DA, DE) (D ∈ (SEA))
◦
= 0 .
42 M. H. Nguyen and P. D. Nguyen

Therefore, B1 C1 //L. This means that the Steiner line of S with respect to triangle
ABC is parallel to L. 
Before we go on to Lemma 4, we review a very interesting concept in plane
geometry called the orthopole. Let triangle ABC and the line L. A , B  , C  are
the feet of the perpendiculars from A, B, C to L respectively. The lines La , Lb ,
Lc pass through A , B  , C  and are perpendicular to BC, CA, AB respectively.
Then La , Lb , Lc are concurrent at one point called the orthopole of the line L with
respect to triangle ABC. The following result is one of the most important results
related to the concept of the orthopole. This result is often attributed to Griffiths,
whose proof can be found in [2, pp.246–247].
Lemma 4. Let ABC be a triangle inscribed in the circle (O), and P be an ar-
bitrary point other than O. The orthopole of the line OP with respect to triangle
ABC belongs to the circumcircle of the pedal triangle of P with respect to ABC.
Lemma 5. Let ABC be a triangle inscribed in (O). A1 , B1 , C1 are the images
of A, B, C respectively through the symmetry with center O. A2 , B2 , C2 are the
images of O through the reflections with axes BC, CA, AB respectively. A3 , B3 ,
C3 are the feet of the perpendiculars from A, B, C to the lines OA2 , OB2 , OC2
respectively. Then,
(a) The circles (OA1 A2 ), (OB1 B2 ), (OC1 C2 ) all pass through the anti-Steiner
point of the Euler line of triangle ABC with respect to the same triangle.
(b) The circle (A3 B3 C3 ) also passes through the same anti-Steiner point.
Proof. (a) Let H be the orthocenter of ABC. Take the points D, S belonging to
(O) such that AD//OH and DS ⊥ BC (see Figure 3).
According to Lemma 3, the Steiner line of S with respect to ABC is parallel to
AD. On the other hand, the Steiner line of S with respect to ABC passes through
H. Hence, OH is the Steiner line of S with respect to ABC. In other words,
S is the anti-Steiner point of the Euler line of ABC with respect to the same triangle.
(4)
Let Sa be the intersection of SD and OH. By (4), Sa is the images of S through
the reflection with axis BC. From this, note that A2 is the image of O through the
reflection with axis BC, we have:
OA2 SSa is an isosceles trapezium with OA2 //Sa . (5)
Therefore, we have
(A2 O, A2 S) = (Sa O, Sa S) (by (5))
= (DA, DS) (DA//Sa O and D ∈ Sa S)
= (A1 A, A1 S) (A1 ∈ (DAS))
= (A1 O, A1 S) (O ∈ A1 A).
It follows that S ∈ (OA1 A2 ). Similarly, S ∈ (OB1 B2 ) and S ∈ (OC1 C2 ).
Therefore,
the circles (OA1 A2 ), (OB1 B2 ), (OC1 C2 ) all pass through S. (6)
Synthetic proofs of two theorems related to the Feuerbach point 43

D
A

O
Sa

B C

A1
S
A2

Figure 3.

From (4) and (6), we can deduce that (OA1 A2 ), (OB1 B2 ), (OC1 C2 ) all pass
through the anti-Steiner point of the Euler line of triangle ABC with respect to
ABC.
(b) Take the points A0 , B0 , C0 such that A, B, C are the midpoints of B0 C0 ,
C0 A0 , A0 B0 respectively. Let M be the mid-point of BC (see Figure 4). Since
AB//CA0 and AC//BA0 , ABA0 C is a parallelogram. On the other hand, not-
ing that HB ⊥ AC and CA1 ⊥ AC, HC ⊥ AB, and BA1 ⊥ AB, we have
HB//CA1 , HC//BA1 . This means that HBA1 C is a parallelogram. Thus, A0 ,
A1 are the images of A, H respectively through the symmetry with center M .
Therefore, the vectors A1 A0 and AH are equal.
On the other hand, since AHSa D is a parallelogram, the vectors DSa and AH
are equal.
Hence, under the translation by the vector AH, the points A1 , D are transformed
into the points A0 , Sa respectively. This means that A0 Sa //A1 D.
From this, noting that AD ⊥ A1 D and AD//OH, we deduce that
A0 Sa ⊥ OH. (7)
On the other hand, because SSa ⊥ BC and BC//B0 C0 , we have
SSa ⊥ B0 C0 . (8)
From (7) and (8), we see that the orthopole of OH with respect to triangle
A0 B0 C0 lies on the line SSa . Similarly, the orthopole of OH with respect to
A0 B0 C0 also lies on SSb and SSc , where Sb , Sc are defined in the same way with
Sa . Thus,
S is the orthopole of OH with respect to triangle A0 B0 C0 . (9)
It is also clear that H is the center of the circle (A0 B0 C0 ) and
A3 B3 C3 is the pedal triangle of O with respect to triangle A0 B0 C0 . (10)
44 M. H. Nguyen and P. D. Nguyen

D
C0 A A3 B0

O
Sa

H
M
B C

A1
S

A0

Figure 4.

From (9) and (10), and by Lemma 4, we have S ∈ (A3 B3 C3 ). 

Lemma 6. If any of the three points in A, B, C, D are not collinear, then the
nine-point circles of triangles BCD, CDA, DAB, ABC all pass through one
point.
Lemma 6 is familiar and its simple proof can be found in [2, p.242].

3. Main results
3.1. A synthetic proof of Theorem 1. Assume that the circle I(r) inscribed in ABC
touches BC, CA, AB at A0 , B0 , C0 respectively. Let A1 , B1 , C1 be the images
of A0 , B0 , C0 respectively through the symmetry with center I. Let A2 , B2 , C2 be
the images of I through the reflections with axes B0 C0 , C0 A0 , A0 B0 respectively.
Let A3 , B3 , C3 be the mid-points of AI, BI, CI respectively (see Figure 5).
Under the inversion in I(r), the points A2 , B2 , C2 are transformed into the
points A3 , B3 , C3 respectively. As a result, the circles (IA1 A2 ), (IB1 B2 ), (IC1 C2 )
are transformed into the lines A1 A3 , B1 B3 , C1 C3 respectively. According to
Lemma 5(a),
the circles (IA1 A2 ), (IB1 B2 ), (IC1 C2 ) all pass through one point lying on the
circle (I), the anti-Steiner point of the Euler line of triangle A0 B0 C0 with respect
to the same triangle. We call this point F . (11)
Hence, A1 A3 , B1 B3 , C1 C3 are also concurrent at F . (12)
Synthetic proofs of two theorems related to the Feuerbach point 45
A

A1
A2
C0 F
A3

B0

B1
B2 C3

B3
C2
C1

B M A0 C

Figure 5.

Because A1 , B1 , C1 be the images of A0 , B0 , C0 respectively through the sym-

metry with center I, A1 B1 , A1 C1 are parallel to A0 B0 , A0 C0 respectively.
From this, noting that A0 B0 , A0 C0 are perpendicular to IC, IB respectively,
we deduce that
A1 B1 , A1 C1 are perpendicular to IC, IB. (13)
Let M be the mid-point of BC. Noting that B3 , C3 are the mid-points of BI,
CI respectively, we have
IC//M B3 and IB//M C3 . (14)
Therefore, we have
(F B3 , F C3 ) = (F B1 , F C1 ) (by (12))
= (A1 B1 , A1 C1 ) (A1 ∈ (F B1 C1 ))
= (IC, IB) (by (13))
= (M B3 , M C3 ) (by (14)).

From this, F ∈ (M B3 C3 ), the nine-point circle of triangle IBC.

Similarly, F also belongs to the nine-point circles of triangles ICA, IAB.
Thus, from Lemma 6, F belongs to the nine-point circle of triangle ABC. This
means that
F is the Feuerbach point of triangle ABC. (15)
From (11) and (15), F is not only the anti-Steiner point of the Euler line of
A0 B0 C0 with respect to A0 B0 C0 , but also the Feuerbach point of ABC.
Thus, we can conclude that the Feuerbach point of ABC is the anti-Steiner point
of the Euler line of A0 B0 C0 .
46 M. H. Nguyen and P. D. Nguyen

3.2. A synthetic proof of Theorem 2. Suppose that the inscribed circle I(r) of tri-
angle ABC touches BC, CA, AB at A0 , B0 , C0 respectively. Let A , B  , C  be
the intersections of AI, BI, CI with BC, CA, AB respectively; A , B  , C  be
the feet of the perpendiculars from A0 , B0 , C0 to AI, BI, CI respectively and F
be the Feuerbach point of ABC (see Figure 6).

F
C0

C

C 

B  B

I B0

A

B A A0 C

Figure 6.

From Lemma 5(b) and Theorem 1, F ∈ (A B  C  ). (16)

On the other hand, under inversion in the incircle I(r), F , A , B  , C  are
transformed into F , A , B  , C  respectively. (17)
From (16) and (17), we can conclude that In conclusion, the circumcircle of
A B  C  passes through the Feuerbach point F of ABC.

References
[1] L. Emelyanov and T. Emelyanov, A note on the Feuerbach point, Forum Geom., 1 (2001) 121–
124.
[2] R. A. Johnson, Advanced Euclidean Geometry, 1929, Dover reprint 2007.
[3] B. D. Suceavă and P. Yiu, The Feuerbach point and Euler lines, Forum Geom, 6 (2006) 191–197.
[4] J. Vonk, The Feuerbach point and reflections of the Euler line, Forum Geom, 9 (2009) 47–55.
[5] P. Yiu, Hyacinthos message 11652, October 18, 2005.

Nguyen Minh Ha: Hanoi University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam.

E-mail address: [email protected]

Nguyen Pham Dat: Hanoi University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam.

E-mail address: [email protected]