Forum Geometricorum

Volume 16 (2016) 415–418.

FORUM GEOM
ISSN 1534-1178

A Generalization of the Droz-Farny Line Theorem

with Orthologic Triangles

Ngo Quang Duong and Vu Thanh Tung

Abstract. We prove a generalization of the Droz-Farny line theorem with or-

thologic triangles.

In 1899, Arnold Droz-Farny [3] discovered and published without proof the
following beautiful result.
Theorem 1 (Droz-Farny line theorem). Two perpendicular lines 1 and 2 pass
through the orthocenter of triangle ABC. If 1 intersects BC, CA, AB at D1 ,
E1 , F1 , and 2 intersects BC, CA, AB at D2 , E2 , F2 , then the midpoints of
D1 D2 , E1 E2 , F1 F2 are collinear.
The line containing these midpoints is called the Droz-Farny line associated with
1 and 2 . There are a number of generalizations of the Droz-Farny line theorem,
notably by van Lamoen [5] (see also [4, 8]), Thas, [10], and Bradley [2]. The most
recent one is by Letrouit [6]. If directly similar triangles DD1 D2 , EE1 E2 , F F1 F2
are constructed on D1 D2 , E1 E2 , F1 F2 respectively, then D, E, F are collinear
(see also Nicollier [7]).
In this note we prove a generalization associated with a pair of orthologic trian-
gles. Consider a pair of orthologic triangles A1 B1 C1 and A2 B2 C2 with orthology
centers P1 , P2 . In other words,

A1 P1 ⊥ B2 C2 , B1 P1 ⊥ C2 A2 , C1 P1 ⊥ A2 B2 ;
A2 P2 ⊥ B1 C1 , B2 P2 ⊥ C1 A1 , C2 P2 ⊥ A1 B1 .
Theorem 2. Let 1 and 2 be two perpendicular lines, passing through P1 and P2
respectively. For i = 1, 2, let i intersect the lines Bi Ci at Di , Ci Ai at Ei , and
Ai Bi at Fi . If directly similar triangles DD1 D2 , EE1 E2 , F F1 F2 are constructed
on D1 D2 , E1 E2 , F1 F2 respectively, then D, E, F are collinear (see Figure 1).
When the triangles A1 B1 C1 and A2 B2 C2 are identical, and D, E, F are the
midpoints of D1 D2 , E1 E2 , F1 F2 , Theorem 2 is the original Droz-Farny line the-
orem. In the proofs below, we shall make use of the notion of cross ratio of four
AC
collinear points (A, B, C, D) := AD
BC , and for four concurrent lines,
BD

(P A, P B, P C, P D) = (A, B, C, D).
The infinite point of a line  is denoted by Ω .
Publication Date: November 29, 2016. Communicating Editor: Paul Yiu.
416 Q. D. Ngo and T. T. Vu

E2

A2

A1
E
F2

E1
P1 C1

D B1 F1
P2

D1

C2
D2

B2

Figure 1

D1 B1 P2 F2 E1 C1 P2 D2 F1 A1 P2 E2
Lemma 3. D1 C1 = P2 E2 , E1 A1 = P2 F2 , F1 B1 = P 2 D2 .

Proof. Denote the infinite point on the line AB by ΩAB . Using cross ratios, we
have
D 1 B1
= (D1 , ΩB1 C1 , B1 , C1 ) = (P1 D1 , P1 ΩB1 C1 , P1 B1 , P1 C1 ).
D 1 C1
Since P1 D1 , P1 ΩB1 C1 , P1 B1 , P1 C1 are perpendicular to 2 , A2 P2 , A2 C2 , A2 B2
respectively,
(P1 D1 , P1 ΩB1 C1 , P1 B1 , P1 C1 ) = (A2 Ω2 , A2 P2 , A2 C2 , A2 B2 )
= (A2 Ω2 , A2 P2 , A2 E2 , A2 F2 )
= (Ω2 , P2 , E2 , F2 )
P2 F2
= .
P2 E2
D1 B1 P2 F2
Therefore, D1 C1 = P2 E2 . The other two follow similarly. 
D1 E 1 D2 E 2
Lemma 4. D1 F1 = D2 F2 .

Proof. For i = 1, 2, applying Menelaus’ theorem to triangle Ai Ei Fi with transver-

sal Di Bi Ci , we have
Ei Di Fi Bi Ai Ci D i Ei Bi Ai Ci Ei
· · = −1 =⇒ = · .
Di Fi Bi Ai Ci Ei Di Fi Bi Fi Ci Ai
A generalization of the Droz-Farny line theorem with orthologic triangles 417

By Lemma 3,
B1 A1 A1 F1 E2 P2 D 2 E2
= 1− =1− = ,
B1 F1 B1 F1 D2 P2 D2 P2
C1 A1 A1 E1 F2 P2 D2 F2
= 1− =1− = .
C1 E1 C1 E1 D2 P2 D2 P2
Therefore,
D 1 E1 B1 A1 C1 E1 D2 E2 D2 P2 D 2 E2
= · = · = .
D1 F1 B1 F1 C1 A1 D2 P2 D2 F2 D2 F2


Proof of Theorem 2. Let 1 intersect 2 at P and the circles P E1 E2 and P F1 F2

intersect at M other than P . M is the Miquel point of the quadrilateral defined by
the lines E1 F1 , E2 F2 , E1 E2 , F1 F2 . It is also the center of the spiral similarities
Φ : E1 E2 → F1 F2 and Ψ : E1 F1 → E2 F2 . Since D 1 E1 D2 E 2
D1 F1 = D2 F2 , Ψ maps
D1 into D2 . Thus, the triangles M D1 D2 , M E1 E2 , M F1 F2 are directly similar,
and the triangles DD1 D2 , EE1 E2 , F F1 F2 are also directly similar. Therefore
triangles M D1 F1 and M DF are directly similar, triangles M D1 E1 and M DE
are directly similar. Hence, we conclude that D, E, F are collinear.

D2

F2

P
D E1

E2
F1 F
E
D1

Figure 2
418 Q. D. Ngo and T. T. Vu

References
[1] J. L. Ayme, A purely synthetic proof of the Droz-Farny line theorem, Forum Geom., 4 (2004)
219–224.
[2] C. J. Bradley, Generalisation of the Droz-Farny lines, Math. Gazette, 92 (2008) 332–335.
[3] A. Droz-Farny, Question 14111, Educational Times, 71 (1899) 89–90.
[4] J.-P. Ehrmann and F. M. van Lamoen, A projective generalization of the Droz-Farny line theo-
rem, Forum Geom., 4 (2004) 225–227.
[5] F. M. van Lamoen, Hyacinthos message 10716, October 17, 2004.
[6] C. Letrouit, On a new generalization of the Droz-Farny line, Forum Geom., 16 (2016) 367–369.
[7] G. Nicollier, Minimal proof of a generalized Droz-Farny theorem, Forum Geom., 16 (2016)
397–398.
[8] C. Pohoata and S. H. Ta, A short proof of Lamoen’s generalization of the Droz-Farny line
theorem, Mathematical Reflections, 3 (2011).
[9] I. F. Sharygin, Problemas de geometria, (spanish translation), Mir Edition, 1986.
[10] C. Thas, The Droz-Farny theorem and related topics, Forum Geom., 6 (2006) 235–240.
[11] T. T. Vu, Advanced Plane Geometry, message 2495, May 1, 2015.

Ngo Quang Duong: High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam Na-
tional University, Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail address: tenminhladuong@gmail.com

Vu Thanh Tung: 250 Quang Trung, Nam Dinh, Vietnam

E-mail address: tungvtt@gmail.com