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Notes On The Brocard Points and Angles of A Triangle 49
Notes On The Brocard Points and Angles of A Triangle 49
ω1 ω2
Ω1 Ω2
ω1
ω2
ω1 ω2
B C B C
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
In Figures 1 and 2, which are not drawn to scale, ω1 and ω2 turn out to
be equal. Their common value is denoted by ω.
One of the properties of the Brocard angle that are proved in the
references above states that
ω ≤ 30°, with equality if, and only if, ABC is equilateral. (3)
It immediately follows that if Ω1 = Ω2, then 6ω = 180°, and hence
ω = 30°, and ABC is equilateral. The converse is also trivially true. Thus
we have
Ω1 = Ω2 ⇔ ABC is equilateral. (4)
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50 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
2. Preliminaries
The proofs use the concavity of the function sin x on [0, π] , i.e. the
convexity of − sin x. This follows from well-known trigonometric identities,
and it also follows from the fact that
(− sin x) ″ = sin x ≥ 0,
with equality if, and only if, x is 0 or π. Thus we have, by Jensen's
inequality, that
sin x1 + … + sin xn x1 + … + xn
≤ sin
n n
for all xi ∈ [ 0, π] , with equality if, and only if, x1 = … = xn; see [8,
p. 93, Theorems 5.2a and 5.2b]. In particular, if u, v, w ∈ [ 0, π] , then
sin u + sin v + sin w u + v + w
≤ sin ,
3 3
with equality if, and only if, u = v = w. By the AM-GM inequality, we
have that
sin u + sin v + sin w
3
sin u sin v sin w ≤ ,
3
with equality if, and only if, u = v = w. Thus we have proved that if
u, v, w ∈ [ 0, π] , then
sin u + sin v + sin w u+v+w
3
sin u sin v sin w ≤ ≤ sin , (5)
3 3
with one (and hence both) of the equalities if, and only if, u = v = w. This
will be used in the sequel.
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 51
U u
Z
Y
G
W
v
V w
B X C
FIGURE 3
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52 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
Proof: Suppose, by way of contradiction, that min {U, V, W } > 30°. Then
180° > U + V + W > U + 60°,
and therefore U < 120°. The same holds for V and W , and thus we have
120° > U , V, W > 30°. (8)
It follows that U + V + W > 90°, and therefore
u + v + w < 90°. (9)
Now it follows from the trigonometric version of Ceva's theorem that
sin u sin v sin w = sin U sin V sin W. (10)
But it follows from (8) that
1 1 1 1
sin U sin V sin W > · · = ,
2 2 2 8
and it follows from (5) and (9) that
( (A − ω) + (B − ω)(C − ω)
)
3
sin (A − ω) sin (B − ω) sin (C − ω) ≤ sin
3
= sin 3 (60° − ω) ,
with equality if, and only if, A − ω = B − ω = C − ω, i.e. A = B = C.
Therefore
sin 3 ω = sin 3 (60° − ω) , ⇔ A = B = C.
Since 0 ≤ ω ≤ 30°, it follows that
sin 3 ω = sin 3 (60° − ω) ⇔ ω = 60° − ω ⇔ ω = 30°,
as desired.
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 53
Z ψ1 Z′
ψ2
Y ψ2 Y′
ψ1
Ψ1 Ψ2
ψ1 ψ2
B X C B X′ C
FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5
In Figures 4 and 5, which are not drawn to scale, ψ1 and ψ2 turn out to be
equal. Their common value is denoted by ψ.
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54 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
Y′
Z Z
y
z Y
Y
G
X x
B X C
FIGURE 6
Let Y′ be the point on the line segment AY for which ∠AZY′ = 60°.
Then
AZ AZ sin ∠ZY′A 2 sin (120° − A)
< = = . (15)
AY AY′ sin 60° 3
Letting
α = 120° − A, β = 120° − B, γ = 120° − C, (16)
we rewrite (16) and its permutes as
3 AZ 3 BX 3 CY
sin α > , sin β > , sin γ > .
2 AY 2 BZ 2 CX
Multiplying and using Ceva's theorem, we obtain
3 3
sin α sin β sin γ > . (17)
8
But it also follows from (5) and (16) that
( )
3
α + β + γ 3 3
= (sin 60°) =
3
sin α sin β sin γ ≤ sin ,
3 8
contradicting (17). This proves the first statement.
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 55
It follows that ψ ≤ 60°, and thus it remains to prove ψ = 60° if, and
only if, ABC is equilateral.
Referring to Figure 6, we use Ceva's theorem and the facts that
AZ sin y BX sin z CY sin x
= , = , =
AY sin Z BZ sin X CX sin Y
to conclude that
sin x sin y sin z = sin X sin Y sin Z.
Putting x = y = z = ψ, we see that
sin 3 ψ = sin (A + ψ) sin (B + ψ) sin (C + ψ) .
But
sin (A + ψ) sin (B + ψ) sin (C + ψ)
(
≤ sin
(A + ψ) + (B + ψ) + (C + ψ) 3
3 )
= sin 3 (60° + ψ) ,
In Figures 7 and 8, which are not drawn to scale, λ1 and λ2 turn out to be
equal. Their common value is denoted by λ.
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56 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
A A
λ1
λ2
Z Z′
Y Y′
λ2
Λ1 λ1 Λ2
B λ1 X C B X′ λ2 C
FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8
It easily follows that if Λ1 = Λ2, then BX = CY = AZ and
CX = AY = BZ and hence ABC is equilateral. The converse is also trivial,
and thus
Λ1 = Λ2 ⇔ ABC is equilateral. (20)
This is the analogue of (4) and (14). However, (3) and (13) do not seem to
have analogues for Λ1 and Λ2. In other words, the questions about bounds on
λ do not seem to have been asked.
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 57
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58 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
A A
γ1
γ2
F F
E E
γ2
Γ1 γ1 Γ2
B γ1 D C B D′ γ2 C
FIGURE 9 FIGURE 10
It is very easy to see that
Γ1 = Γ2 ⇔ ABC is equilateral.
This is the analogue of (4), (14) and (20).
Z
Y
B x X C
FIGURE 11
Theorem 4: Let ABC be a triangle with side lengths a, b and c in the standard
order. Let P be an interior point of ABC, and let PX, PY and PZ be the
perpendiculars from P to BC, CA and AB, respectively. Let
x = BX, y = CY, z = AZ.
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 59
Then at least one of the numbers x, y and z is less than 14 (a + b + c), and at
least one of them is greater than, or equal to, 16 (a + b + c).
Also, if x = y = z (= γ), i.e. if P is the first Goormaghtigh Brocard-
like point, then
a + b + c a + b + c
≤ γ < , (23)
6 4
with equality if, and only if, ABC is equilateral.
Proof: We shall prove (23) first. It follows from Carnot's theorem (22) that
a2 + b + c2 = 2 (ax + by + cz) . (24)
2
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60 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
a2 + b2 + c2 < 2 (a + b + c) ( a + 6b + c ) , i.e.
6 (a2 + b + c2) < 2 (a + b + c)2 ,
2
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NOTES ON THE BROCARD POINTS AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE 61
References
1. G. Leversha, The geometry of the triangle, The United Kingdom
Mathematics Trust, Pathways, No. 2, University of Leeds (2013).
2. P. Yff, On the Brocard points of a triangle, Amer. Math. Monthly 67
(1960) pp. 520-525.
3. R. Shail, Some properties of Brocard points, Math. Gaz. 80 (November
1996) pp. 485-491.
4. R. A. Johnson, Advanced Euclidean Geometry, Dover Publications,
New York (1929).
5. S. Abu-Saymeh and M. Hajja, Some Brocard-like points of a triangle,
Forum Geom. 5 (2005) pp. 65-74.
6. P. Yff, An analogue of the Brocard points, Amer. Math. Monthly, 70
(1963) pp. 495-501.
7. M. R. Goormaghtigh, Sur deux points du plan d’un triangle et sur une
généralisation des points de Brocard, Ann. de. Mathémat., 4° série, t.
XVIII, (Novembre 1918) pp. 417-424.
8. I. Niven, Maxima and minima without calculus, The Dolciani
Mathematical Expositions, No. 6, MAA, Washington, D. C. (1981).
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62 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
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