Three circles of equal radius have a common point $O$ and lie inside a given triangle. Each circle touches a pair of sides of the triangle. Prove that the incenter and the circumcenter of the triangle are collinear with the point $O$.
Problem
Source: IMO 1981, Day 2, Problem 5
Tags: geometry, incenter, circumcircle, similar triangles, IMO, IMO 1981
26.11.2005 11:00
Let A, B, C be the centers of the 3 congruent circles (A), (B), (C) intersecting at the point O. Since the point O is equidistant from the centers A, B, C, it is the circumcenter of the triangle $\triangle ABC$. Let a, b, c be the common external tangents of the circle pairs (B), (C); (C), (A); (A), (B), neither of them intersecting the remaining circle and let the lines a, b, c intersect at points $A' \equiv b \cap c,\ B' \equiv c \cap a,\ C' \equiv a \cap b$, forming a triangle $\triangle A'B'C'$. Let O' be the circumcenter of this new triangle. Since the common external tangent of 2 congruent circles is parallel to their center line, $a \equiv B'C' \parallel BC,\ b \equiv C'A' \parallel CA,\ c \equiv A'B' \parallel AB$. Thus the triangles $\triangle A'B'C' \sim \triangle ABC$ are centrally similar, having the corresponding sides parallel. The lines A'A, B'B, C'C connecting the corresponding vertices of the 2 triangles meet at their homothety center. But the lines A'A, B'B, C'C are the bisectors of the angles $\angle A', \angle B', \angle C'$ (and also of the angles $\angle A, \angle B, \angle C$), hence, the homothety center is the common incenter I of the triangles $\triangle A'B'C',\ \triangle ABC$. The circumcenters O', O are the corresponding points of these 2 centrally similar triangles, hence, the line O'O also passes through the homothety center I.
13.06.2007 22:58
yetti wrote: Let A, B, C be the centers of the 3 congruent circles (A), (B), (C) intersecting at the point O. Since the point O is equidistant from the centers A, B, C, it is the circumcenter of the triangle $\triangle ABC$. Let a, b, c be the common external tangents of the circle pairs (B), (C); (C), (A); (A), (B), neither of them intersecting the remaining circle and let the lines a, b, c intersect at points $A' \equiv b \cap c,\ B' \equiv c \cap a,\ C' \equiv a \cap b$, forming a triangle $\triangle A'B'C'$. Let O' be the circumcenter of this new triangle. Since the common external tangent of 2 congruent circles is parallel to their center line, $a \equiv B'C' \parallel BC,\ b \equiv C'A' \parallel CA,\ c \equiv A'B' \parallel AB$. Thus the triangles $\triangle A'B'C' \sim \triangle ABC$ are centrally similar, having the corresponding sides parallel. The lines A'A, B'B, C'C connecting the corresponding vertices of the 2 triangles meet at their homothety center. But the lines A'A, B'B, C'C are the bisectors of the angles $\angle A', \angle B', \angle C'$ (and also of the angles $\angle A, \angle B, \angle C$), hence, the homothety center is the common incenter I of the triangles $\triangle A'B'C',\ \triangle ABC$. The circumcenters O', O are the corresponding points of these 2 centrally similar triangles, hence, the line O'O also passes through the homothety center I. Why do A'A, B'B, C'C meet at the incentre?
24.07.2013 03:07
Because A', B', C' are equidistant from the sides so they all lie on the respective angle bisectors.
22.12.2024 13:55
Found an instant solve with homothety so just putting it here let $A, B, C$ be the vertices of the given triangle, and let $O_1, O_2, O_3$ be the centers of the three circles, such that the two edges passing $A$ are tangent to $(O_1)$, two edges passing $B$ are tangent to $(O_2)$, and similarly for $C$ and $O_3$. Since $O_1O_2 \parallel AB$, $O_2O_3 \parallel BC$, $O_1O_3 \parallel AC$, we get that there exists a homothety $\omega$ that maps $\triangle O_1O_2O_3$ to $\triangle ABC$. We also know that $O$ is the circumcenter of $\triangle O_1O_2O_3$, so $\omega$ takes $O$ to the circumcenter of $\triangle ABC$. Finally, notice that the two triangles $\triangle O_1O_2O_3$ and $\triangle ABC$ have the same incenter $I$, so $I$ is the centre of homothety which is collinear with the two circumcenters.