b

Forum Geometricorum
Volume 13 (2013) 209–218. b b

FORUM GEOM
ISSN 1534-1178

Three Natural Homoteties of The Nine-Point Circle

Mehmet Efe Akengin, Zeyd Yusuf Köroğlu, and Yiğit Yargiç

Abstract. Given a triangle with the reflections of its vertices in the opposite
sides, we prove that the pedal circles of these reflections are the images of nine-
point circle under specific homoteties, and that their centers form the anticevian
triangle of the nine-point center. We also construct two concentric circles asso-
ciated with the pedals of these reflections on the sidelines, and study the triangle
bounded by the radical axes of these pedal circles with the nine-point circle.

1. Three pedal circles

Given a triangle ABC with angles α, β, γ, circumcenter O, orthocenter H,
and nine-point center N , we let Ma , Mb , Mc be the midpoints of the sides BC,
CA, AB, Ha , Hb , Hc the pedals of A on BC, B on CA, C on AB respectively.
Consider also the reflections A′ of A in BC, B ′ of B in CA, and C ′ of C in AB.
Our first result (Theorem 3 below) is about the pedal circles of A′ , B ′ , C ′ with
respect to triangle ABC.
Construct the circle through O, B, C, and let Oa be the second intersection of
this circle with the line AO.
Proposition 1. Oa and A′ are the isogonal conjugates in triangle ABC.

H O

B Ha C

′
Ba

Ca

A′ Oa

Figure 1

Proof. Clearly the lines AOa and AH are isogonal with respect to angle A, since
O and H are isogonal conjugates. Also,
∠A′ BCa = 2∠A′ ACa = 2∠HAB = 2∠OAC = ∠Oa OC = ∠Oa BC.
Publication Date: November 12, 2013. Communicating Editor: Paul Yiu.
210 M. E. Akengin, Z. K. Köroğlu and Y. Yargiç

Therefore, the lines A′ B and Oa B are symmetric in the external bisector of an-
gle B, and so are isogonal with respect to angle B. Similarly, A′ C and Oa B are
isogonal with respect to angle C. This shows that A′ and Oa are isogonal conju-
gates. 
The points A′ and Oa have a common pedal circle, with center at the midpoint
Na of A′ Oa .
Proposition 2. Oa A′ is parallel to OH.

Mc Hb
Hc Mb
N O
H

Ha Xa

B C
Ba

Ca′ ′
Ba
Ca

A′
Na
Oa

Figure 2

Proof. Let Xa , Ba′ , Ca′ be the pedals of Oa on BC, CA, AB respectively. From
AMb AO AMc
= = ,
ABa′ AOa ACa′
we have Ba′ Ca′ //Mb Mc //BC. Therefore the cyclic quadrilateral Ba′ Ca′ Ha Xa ,
having a pair of parallel sides, must be a symmetric trapezoid. Now,
∠Ca′ Xa Oa = ∠Ca′ BOa = ∠CBA′ = β = ∠Ca′ Oa Xa .
The second equality is valid because Oa B and A′ B are isogonal with respect
to B, and the last one because B, Xa , Oa , Ca′ are concyclic. It follows that
Ca′ Oa = Ca′ Xa = Ba′ Ha . Similarly, Ba′ Oa = Ca′ Ha . Therefore, Ca′ Oa Ba′ Ha
is a parallelogram, and Ba′ Ha is parallel to Oa Ca′ , and also to CH, being all per-
pendicular to AB.
Since Mb and Mc are the midpoints of AC and AB, we have
AO AMb AC AH AH
= = = = .
AOa ABa′ 2 · ABa′ 2 · AHa AA′
Therefore, Oa A′ is parallel to OH. 
Three natural homoteties of the nine-point circle 211

Theorem 3. The pedal circle of A′ (and Oa ) is the image of the nine-point circle
of ABC under the homothety h(A, ta ), where ta = 2 sincosβ αsin γ .
Proof. The circle Ba Ba′ Ca′ is homothetic to the nine-point circle Hb Mb Mc at A
since
ABa AA′ AOa ABa′ ACa′
= = = = .
AHb AH AO AMb AMc
The ratio of homothety is
AA′ 2 · AHa 2R sin β sin γ sin β sin γ
ta = = = = .
AH 2 · OMa 2R cos α cos α
.
Since the center N a of the pedal circle of A′ and Oa is the midpoint of Oa A′ ,
the line AN a intersects OH at its midpoint N , the nine-point center of ABC. 
Analogously let Ob , Oc be the second intersections of the circles OCA, OAB
with the lines BO, CO respectively. The common pedal circle of B ′ and Ob has
center N b the midpoint of Ob B ′ and that of C ′ and Oc has center N c the midpoint
of Oc C ′ . These pedal circles are images of the nine-point circle under the homoth-
eties h(B, tb ) and h(C, tc ) with tb = sincos
γ sin α
β and tc = sincos
α sin β
γ respectively.
Theorem 4. N a N b N c is the anticevian triangle of the nine-point N .

B′
′
C Nb
A

Nc Ob
Oc
H N
O

B C

A′
Na
Oa

Figure 3

Proof. Since N a is the midpoint of Oa A′ and the nine-point center N is the mid-
point of OH, by Proposition 2, A, N , Na are collinear. Similarly, N b and N c are
on the cevians BN and CN respectively. We show that the line N b N c , N c N a ,
212 M. E. Akengin, Z. K. Köroğlu and Y. Yargiç

N a N b contain A, B, C respectively. From this the result follows. It is enough to

show that N b N c contains A. For this, note that B ′ , A, Oc are collinear because
∠B ′ AB + ∠BAOc = 2∠B ′ AC + ∠BOOc
= 2α + (180◦ − ∠BOC)
= 2α + (180◦ − 2α)
= 180◦ .
Similarly, Ob , A, and C ′ are collinear. Therefore, the midpoints of Ob B ′ and Oc C ′ ,
namely, N b and N c , are collinear with A. 

2. Two concentric circles associated with six pedals

Let A′′ B ′′ C ′′ be the triangle bounded by the lines Ba Ca , Cb Ab , and Ac Bc .
Theorem 5. The incenter of triangle A′′ B ′′ C ′′ is the orthocenter of the orthic
triangle Ha Hb Hc , and the incircle touches the sides at the midpoints Pa , Pb , Pc of
the segments Ba Ca , Cb Ab , Ac Bc respectively.

A′′

Bc Cb

C′
A

B′
Pc
Pb
Ua
Hc

O Hb
N
H
Ho

Ac
B Ha Ab
C

B ′′
Ca

Pa

Oa Ba
Na
A′ C ′′

Figure 4.
Three natural homoteties of the nine-point circle 213

Proof. We first claim that the segments Ba Ca , Cb Ab , Ac Bc have equal lengths.

Note that the homothety h(A, ta ) maps Hb , Hc to Ba , Ca respectively. Hence,
sin β sin γ
Ba C a = t a · H b H c = · 2R sin α cos α = 4R sin α sin β sin γ.
cos α
Since this expression is symmetric in α, β, γ, it also gives the lengths of Cb Ab and
Ac Bc .
Note that the corresponding sidelines of triangles A′′ B ′′ C ′′ and the orthic trian-
gle Ha Hb Hc are parallel. The two triangles are homothetic. By parallelism,
∠A′′ Ab Ac = ∠Hc Ha A = ∠CHa Hb = ∠Ab Ac C ′′ .
Therefore, A′′ Ac Ab is an isosceles triangle with A′′ Ab = A′′ Ac . Since Ab Cb =
Ac Bc , we deduce that A′′ Pb = A′′ Pc . Similarly, B ′′ Pc = B ′′ Pa and C ′′ Pa =
C ′′ Pb . Hence, Pa , Pb , Pc are the points of tangency of the incircle of triangle
A′′ B ′′ C ′′ with its sides.
Next we claim that Ha , Na and Pa all lie on a line perpendicular to Ba Ca . Let
Ua be the midpoint of AH. Since N Ua is parallel to OA, it is perpendicular to
Bb Hc . As N Hb = N Hc , the line N Ua is the perpendicular bisector of Hb Hc .
The homothety h(A, ta ) maps Ua Hb N Hc into Ha Ba N a Ca , and Ha N a is the
perpendicular bisector of Ba Ca . Therefore, it passes through the midpoint Pa of
Ba Ca . Since Ha N a is perpendicular to Hb Hc , it passes through the orthocenter
of the orthic triangle Ha Hb Hc . The same is true for the other two lines Hb N b and
Hc N c , which are the perpendiculars to the sides C ′′ A′′ and A′′ B ′′ at the points Pb
and Pc respectively. Therefore, the incenter of A′′ B ′′ C ′′ is the orthocenter of the
orthic triangle. 
Remarks. (1) The common length of Ba Ca , Cb Ab , Ac Bc is also the perimeter of
the orthic triangle, being 4R sin α sin β sin γ = R(sin 2α + sin 2β + sin 2γ).
(2) The orthocenter of the orthic triangle is the triangle center X(52) in [3].
Corollary 6. The lines N a Ha , N b Hb , N c Hc are concurrent at Ho .
Theorem 7. The six pedals Ab , Ac , Bc , Ba , Ca , Cb lie on a circle with center Ho .
Proof. From Theorem 5, we have Ho Pa = Ho Pb = Ho Pc . Also recall from the
proof of the same theorem, the segments Ba Ca , Cb Ab , Ac Bc have equal lengths.
Therefore, Ho Ba Ca , Ho Cb Ab , and Ho Ac Bc are congruent isosceles triangles, and
Ho is the center of a circle containing these six pedals (see Figure 4). 
Theorem 8. The triangles ABC, A′′ B ′′ C ′′ , and Pa Pb Pc are perspective at the
symmedian point of triangle ABC

Proof. (1) Since AAc Ab and ABc Cb are isosceles triangles, Bc Cb and Ac Ab are
parallel, and the triangles ACb Bc and ABC are homothetic (see Figure 5). Now,
∠A′′ Bc Cb = ∠A′′ Ac Ab = ∠Hb Ha C = α = ∠Bc ACb .
Similarly, ∠A′′ Cb Bc = ∠Bc ACb . Therefore, A′′ Bc and A′′ Cb are tangents from
A′′ to the circumcircle of triangle ACb Bc . The line A′′ A is a symmedian of triangle
ACb Bc . Since ABC and ACb Bc are homothetic at A, the same line A′′ A is a
214 M. E. Akengin, Z. K. Köroğlu and Y. Yargiç

A′′

Bc
Cb

B′
C′
A
Pc
Hb Pb

Hc
H K

O
Ac
B Ha Ab
C
C ′′
Ba
Pa
Ca
B ′′

A′

Figure 5.

symmedian of triangle ABC, and it contains the symmedian point K of triangle

ABC. The same reasoning shows that B ′′ B and C ′′ C also contain K. Therefore,
triangles A′′ B ′′ C ′′ and ABC are perspective at K.
(2) In triangle ABC, Ba Ca is antiparallel to BC since
∠Ca Ba A = ∠Ca Cb C = ∠BHa Hb
The the reflection of triangles ACa Ba in the bisector of angle A is homothetic to
ABC. Therefore, the median APa of triangle ACa Ba is the same as the sym-
median AK; similarly for BPb and CPc . The three lines are concurrent at the
symmedian point K. 

3. A triangle bounded by three radical axes

Let La , Lb , Lc be the radical axes of the nine-point circle with the pedal circles
of A′ , B ′ , C ′ respectively. These lines bound a triangle Qa Qb Qc . The vertex Qa
is the radical center of the nine-point circle and the pedal circles of B ′ and C ′ ;
similarly for the vertices Qb and Qc .
Three natural homoteties of the nine-point circle 215

Nb

B′
Qa
A

Nc Hb

C′
H′
Hc Qc
O
N
H

B Ha C
Qb

A′ Na

Figure 6

Lemma 9. Let Ja be the midpoint of OA. The line Ja Ma is perpendicular to Qb Qc

and contains the midpoint of ON .

Ja

P O

N
H

B Ma C

Figure 7.

Proof. Since N is the midpoint of OH, the segment Ja N is parallel to AH and

therefore to OMa . Furthermore, Ja N = 21 AH = OMa . It follows that Ja Ma
intersects ON at its midpoint. 
216 M. E. Akengin, Z. K. Köroğlu and Y. Yargiç

Proposition 10. Given triangle ABC with incentral triangle DEF , extend AB
and AC to P and Q such that BP = BC = CQ. Let T be the midpoint P Q, and
M the midpoint of the arc BAC of the circumcircle.
(a) The line T M is perpendicular EF .
(b) BT and CT are parallel to DF and DE respectively.

P
M
B

O F T
D
I

A E C Q E′ Y

Figure 8.

bc bc
Proof. (a) By the angle bisector theorem, AE = a+b , AF = a+c . Therefore,
AE a+c AQ
AF = a+b = AP , showing that P Q is parallel to EF (see Figure 8). On the other
hand, the circumcircles of ABC and AP Q intersect at A and M , which is the
center of the rotation taking the oriented segments BP and CQ into each other (see
[4, p.5]). Since M B = M C, M is the center of this rotation. Hence, M T is the
perpendicular bisector of P Q. We conclude that M T and EF are perpendicular to
each other.
(b) We show that BT is parallel to DF .
Let Y be the intersection of the lines BT and AC. Applying Menelaus’ theorem
to triangle AP Q with transversal BT Y , we have
AY QT P B AY AB c AY c
· · = −1 =⇒ =− = − =⇒ = .
Y Q T P BA YQ BP a AQ c−a
Therefore, AY = c(a+b) ′ ′
c−a . Now, DF intersects AC at E such that BE is the
AE ′ c ′
external bisector of angle E. E ′C = − a =⇒ AE c
AC = c−a . It follows that
c ′
AE ′ = c−a · b. From these, AE b AF
AY = a+b = AB . Therefore, BT is parallel to DF .
The same reasoning shows that CT is parallel to DE. 
Remark. Proposition 10 remains valid if P and Q are chosen on the rays BA and
CA instead, and BE, BF are external bisectors.
Three natural homoteties of the nine-point circle 217

Theorem 11. The orthocenter of triangle Qa Qb Qc is the midpoint of ON .

Qa

Hb

Mc
Mb
Da

H′
Hc O
Dc N
H Qc

Db

B Ha Ma C

Qb

Figure 9

Proof. It is enough to prove that Qa Ma is parallel to AN .

Let Da = AH ∩ Hb Hc , Db = BH ∩ Hc Ha , Dc = CH ∩ Ha Hb . We claim
that Db Dc is perpendicular to AN . The points Db and Dc have equal powers with
respect to the nine-point circle of ABC and the circumcircle of HBC. There-
fore, the line Db Dc is the radical axis of the these two circles. The circumcenter
of HBC is the reflection of O in BC, and form a parallelogram with O, A, H,
with N as the common midpoint of the diagonals. Therefore AN is the line join-
ing the centers of the nine-point circle and the center of the circle HBC, and is
perpendicular to the radical axis Db Dc .
The line AN also contains the center N a of the circle Γa . Therefore the radical
axes Qb Qc and Db Dc are parallel, and AN is perpendicular to Qb Qc .
Now we show that Qa Ma is parallel to AN .
218 M. E. Akengin, Z. K. Köroğlu and Y. Yargiç

It is easy to see that Da Db Dc is the incentral triangle of Ha Hb Hc . (If triangle

ABC is obtuse, then the two bisectors not corresponding to obtuse angle have to
be replaced by external bisectors; see Remark following Proposition 10). Apply-
ing Proposition 10 to the orthic triangle Ha Hb Hc , the lines Qa Qb and Qa Qc are
parallel to Da Db and Da Dc respectively, and the midpoint of the arc Hb Ha Hc is
Ma , the midpoint of BC. Therefore, Qa Ma is perpendicular to Db Dc , which is
parallel to Qb Qc .
The lines Qa Ma , Qb Mb , Qc Mc are the altitudes of the triangle Qa Qb Qc . But
these lines are parallel to AN , BN , CN respectively. They are concurrent at the
midpoint of ON . 
Remark. The midpoint of ON is the triangle center X(140) in [3].

References
[1] http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=384694
[2] R. Honsberger, Episodes in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Euclidean Geometry, Math. As-
soc. America, 1995.
[3] C. Kimberling, Encyclopedia of Triangle Centers, available at
http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/encyclopedia/ETC.html.
[4] Y. Zhao, Three Lemmas in Geometry, available at:
web.mit.edu/yufeiz/www/olympiad/three geometry lemmas.pdf.

Mehmet Efe Akengin: Istanbul Lisesi (Istanbul High School), Türkocaği Caddesi, No:4, Fatih
34440 Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail address: mehmetefeakengin@hotmail.com

Zeyd Yusuf Köroğlu: Istanbul Lisesi (Istanbul High School), Türkocaği Caddesi, No:4, Fatih
34440 Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail address: zeyd.yusuf@gmail.com

Yiğit Yargiç: Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539

München, Germany
E-mail address: yigityargic@hotmail.com