Geometriae Dedicata 84: 41^47, 2001.

41
# 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.

On Properties of Rectangular Hyperbolas

ZVONKO CíERIN
Kopernikova 7, 10010 Zagreb, Croatia. e-mail: cerin@math.hr
(Received: 17 March 1999; in ¢nal form: 15 October 1999)

Communicated by K. Strambach.

Abstract. This paper improves an old theorem about a rectangular hyperbola H: its centre lies on
the pedal circle of any point on H with respect to any triangle inscribed in H.We also prove that an
analogous result holds for Cevian circles.These results are used to obtain new characterisations of
the Feuerbach, Jarabek, and Kiepert hyperbolas of a triangle.

Mathematics Subject Classi¢cations (2000). Primary 51N20, Secondary 14H45.

Key words. triangle, rectangular hyperbola, pedal circle, Cevian circle, orthocentre, isogonal
conjugate, Feuerbach, Jarabek, Kiepert.

1. Introduction
Conics (ellipses, hyperbolas, and parabolas) are among the most studied planar
curves in geometry. Of particular interest are circles (ellipses with equal axes)
and their analogues, i.e. rectangular hyperbolas (hyperbolas with equal axes and
perpendicular asymptotes). Rectangular hyperbolas play an important role in
the geometry of triangles. It is well known that a conic that goes through the vertices
of a triangle ABC and its orthocentre H (the intersection of its altitudes) must be a
rectangular hyperbola. Some of the famous rectangular hyperbolas associated to
a triangle ABC are of this kind. For example, the Feuerbach hyperbola goes through
A, B, C, H, and the incentre I of ABC (i.e. the intersection of the bisectors of its
angles). Similarly, the Jarabek hyperbola goes through A, B, C, H, and the
circumcentre O of ABC (i.e. the intersection of the perpendicular bisectors of its
sides). Finally, the Kiepert hyperbola goes through A, B, C, H, and the centroid
G (the intersection of medians) of ABC. Recently, they have attracted considerable
attention (see [2^11]).
In this paper we shall study rectangular hyperbolas using pedal and Cevian circles
of points. Recall that the vertices of the pedal triangle of a point P with respect to a
triangle ABC are the projections Pa , Pb , and Pc of P onto the sidelines BC, CA,
and AB. Similarly, the intersections Pac , Pbc , and Pcc of the lines AP, BP, and CP
with the sidelines BC, CA, and AB are the vertices of the Cevian triangle of P with
respect to ABC. The circumcircles of Pa Pb Pc and Pac Pbc Pcc are respectively called
the pedal circle and the Cevian circle of P with respect to ABC.
42 ZVONKO CíERIN

With these notions we shall prove two theorems about rectangular hyperbolas.
The ¢rst one (Theorem 2) is an improvement of the following old amusing result
on rectangular hyperbolas and pedal circles of their points which can be found, e.g.,
on page 178 of [1]. Recall that a polygon is inscribed in a curve provided its vertices
lie on this curve. In this situation we also say that the curve is circumscribed to
the polygon.

THEOREM 1. The pedal circle of any point on a rectangular hyperbola H with

respect to any triangle inscribed in H passes through the centre of H.

Our improvement (Theorem 2) of the above result is the observation that points on
a certain line also have pedal circles going through the centre of H and that the
converse of this new version of Theorem 1 is also true. In three special cases,
our Theorem 2 implies new characterisations of the Feuerbach, Jarabek, and Kiepert
hyperbolas in terms of their centres and pedal circles of their points with respect to
inscribed triangles.
These investigations and their applications are carried over to Cevian circles.
Instead of a line, here we get curves of order four (quartics) as loci of additional
points with the property that their Cevian circles go through the centre of the
rectangular hyperbola. An interesting open problem is to ¢nd a better (geometric)
description of the quartics which appear in our Theorem 3.

2. Pedal Circles
Our ¢rst aim is to improve Theorem 1 by the following more precise result on the
points whose pedal circles contain the centre of a rectangular hyperbola. In order
to understand it we need to recall some de¢nitions and notations.
The circumcentre O of a triangle ABC is at equal distances from its vertices while
the centre of the nine-point circle F of ABC is at equal distances from the midpoints
of its sides. The isogonal conjugation with respect to a triangle ABC associates with
any point P not on the circumcircle of ABC a point Q such that the lines AP,
BP, and CP and the lines AQ, BQ, and CQ have equal angles with the bisectors
of the angles of ABC, respectively.
Let p…P; C† denote the polar line of a point P with respect to a conic C. On the other
hand, let p…`; C† be the pole of a line ` with respect to a conic C.

THEOREM 2. Let H be a rectangular hyperbola with centre T and let the triangle
ABC be inscribed in H. The pedal circle of a point P passes through T if and only
if P is either on H or on the line Op…FT ; H†. This line is the image of H under
the isogonal conjugation with respect to ABC.
Proof. In this paper we shall use rectangular coordinates because they have some
advantages with respect to other coordinates (complex, barycentric, trilinear,
and tripolar). Firstly they are well known and secondly it is rather easy to draw
ON PROPERTIES OF RECTANGULAR HYPERBOLAS 43

curves from their equations. The disadvantage is that symmetry is lost: knowing the
expression for some point does not imply that the expressions for related points
will be in any way similar. Also, some computations involve complicated and long
expressions. Today, however, they can be performed by a computer which allows
working with previously unthinkably large polynomials.
In order to simplify our calculations, we shall position the triangle ABC in the
following way with respect to a rectangular coordinate system. Our idea is to intro-
duce three parameters r, f , and g, where r is the inradius, f ˆ cot…A=2† and
g ˆ cot…B=2†. Without loss of generality, we can assume that both f and g are larger
than 1 (i.e., that angles A and B are acute).
We shall use letters h; w; k; t; s; v; u; m; and n as replacements for frequently
appearing expressions of f and g according to the following table.

h w k t s v u m n

f ‡g f ÿg f gÿ1 f2 ‡ 1 f2 ÿ1 g2 ‡ 1 g2 ÿ 1 f4 ‡1 g4 ‡ 1

If the vertex A is the origin with coordinates …0; 0† and if the vertex B is on the
x-axis and has coordinates … h r; 0 †, then the vertex C has coordinates
… g q r=k; 2 f g r=k †.
Now all important points related to the triangle ABC (including all central points
from Table 1 in [7]) have rational functions in f , g, and r as coordinates and we
can easily switch from f , g, and r to the side lengths a, b, and c and back substituting
a ˆ f v r=k, b ˆ g t r=k, c ˆ h r, and

…b ‡ c†2 ÿ a2 …a ‡ c†2 ÿ b2 S
f ˆ ; gˆ ; rˆ ;
S S 2 …a ‡ b ‡ c†

where
p
Sˆ …a ‡ b ‡ c†…ÿa ‡ b ‡ c†…a ÿ b ‡ c†…a ‡ b ÿ c†

is four times the area of ABC.

It is well-known that, in terms of rectangular coordinates, the equation of a conic
has the form a11 x2 ‡ 2 a12 x y ‡ a22 y2 ‡ 2 a13 x ‡ 2 a23 y ‡ a33 ˆ 0, where aij are real
numbers. One can check that this is a rectangular hyperbola circumscribed to
ABC if and only if a11 ˆ 2 m k, a12 ˆ 4 l k, a13 ˆ ÿ2 r h m k, a33 ˆ 0, a22 ˆ ÿ2 m k,
and a23 ˆ r ……k ‡ w ‡ 2†…k ÿ w ‡ 2† m ÿ 4 g s l†, for some real numbers m and l with
m2 ‡ l2 6ˆ 0. Hence, the circumscribed rectangular hyperbola has the equation
W ˆ 0, where W is

2 m k …x2 ÿ y2 ÿ r h x† ‡ r ……k ‡ w ‡ 2†…k ÿ w ‡ 2† m ÿ 4 g s l† y:

44 ZVONKO CíERIN

The coordinates …x0 ; y0 † of the centre T of this hyperbola are

   
 a13 a12   a11 a13 
  
 a23 a22  r kx  a12 a23  r m ky
x0 ˆ ÿ  ˆ
 ; y 0 ˆ ÿ 
 a11
ˆ ;
 a11 a12  k0  a12  k0
 a12 a22   a12 a22 
where kx ˆ 2 h k m2 ÿ …k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ‡ w ‡ 2† m l ‡ 4 g s l2 , k0 ˆ 4 k …m2 ‡ l2 †, and
ky ˆ …k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ‡ w ‡ 2† m ÿ 2 …k ‡ 2† w l.
The coordinates of the projections Pa , Pb , and Pc of a point P with coordinates
…x; y† onto the sidelines are ‰pa =v2 ; 2 g qa =v2 Š, ‰s pb =t2 ; 2 f pb =t2 Š, and ‰x; 0Š, where
pa ˆ u2 x ÿ 2 g u y ‡ 4 r g2 h, qa ˆ ÿu x ‡ 2 g y ‡ r u h, and pb ˆ s x ‡ 2 f y.
Recall that four points …xi ; yi †, i ˆ 1; 2; 3; 4; are concyclic if L ˆ 0 where L
denotes the determinant
 2 
 x ‡ y2 x1 y1 1 
 1 1 
 2 
 x2 ‡ y22 x2 y2 1 
 :
 2 
 x3 ‡ y23 x3 y3 1 
 
 x2 ‡ y2 x y 1 
4 4 4 4

Substituting the above values, we obtain L ˆ ÿf g h r V W =…4 k2 t2 v2 …m2 ‡ l2 ††,

where V is

4 k …a m ‡ b l† x ‡ …b m ÿ a l† y ‡ r t2 …c m ÿ d l†;
a ˆ 2 …k ‡ 2† w, b ˆ …k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ‡ w ‡ 2†, c ˆ u2 ÿ 4 g2 , and d ˆ 4 g u.
It is obvious that V ˆ 0 is the equation of a line. In order to explain the geometric
role of this line observe that it goes through the circumcentre O of ABC whose
coordinates are … h r=2; …h ÿ k†…h ‡ k† r=4 †. Recall that

… a11 p ‡ a12 q ‡ a13 † x ‡ … a12 p ‡ a22 q ‡ a23 † y ‡ a13 p ‡ a23 q ‡ a33 ˆ 0

is the equation of the polar line of a point P with coordinates …p; q† with respect to a
conic. The point M whose polar is the line V ˆ 0 lies on the line joining the centre T
with the centre F of the nine-point circle of ABC whose coordinates are
 
…f u ‡ 3 g s† r …k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ‡ w ‡ 2† r
; :
4k 8k
From this, the conclusion of the ¢rst part of the theorem follows easily.
In order to prove that the line V ˆ 0 is the image of the rectangular hyperbola
W ˆ 0 under the isogonal conjugation with respect to ABC, take a point P with
coordinates …x; y†, where y is a solution of V ˆ 0 if x is considered to be known.
This solution always exists except when
ÿ2 …k ‡ 2† w m
lˆ :
…k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ÿ w ‡ 2†
ON PROPERTIES OF RECTANGULAR HYPERBOLAS 45

The isogonal conjugate Q of P with respect to ABC lies on the hyperbola because its
coordinates satisfy the equation W ˆ 0. Since isogonal conjugation is a continuous
involution we conclude that the third sentence in Theorem 2 holds true as well.&

Theorem 2 implies the following characterisation of the Feuerbach hyperbola HF

of a triangle ABC. Recall that the centre of HF is the point in which the incircle
touches the nine-point circle from inside. This is the central point X11 also known
as the Feuerbach point of ABC. The trilinear coordinates of X11 are
sin2 …B ÿ C† : sin2 …C ÿ A† : sin2 …A ÿ B†. Let OI be the line joining the circumcentre
O with the incentre I of ABC.

COROLLARY 1. The pedal circle of a point on HF goes through the Feuerbach point
X11 . Conversely, if the pedal circle of a point P outside the line OI contains X11 , then P
lies on HF .
Proof. The proof for Corollary 1 has the following steps. Compute L for the points
Pa , Pb , Pc , and X11 . Signi¢cant factors are the equation of the Feuerbach hyperbola
HF and the equation of the line OI. These claims are veri¢ed by simple substitutions
of the coordinates of points. More in detail, substituting the coordinates of A, B, C,
H, and I in the quadratic factor of L and substituting the coordinates of O and
I into the linear factor of L we get zero. &

In a similar way we obtain characterisations of the Jarabek hyperbola HJ and of

the Kiepert hyperbola HK of a triangle ABC. Recall that the centre of HJ is the
central point X125 with trilinear coordinates

cos A sin2 …B ÿ C† : cos B sin2 …C ÿ A† : cos C sin2 …A ÿ B†:

The centre of HK is the central point X115 with trilinear coordinates

a sin2 …B ÿ C† : b sin2 …C ÿ A† : c sin2 …A ÿ B†:

The Euler line GO joins the centroid G with the circumcentre O of ABC while the
Brocard axis KO joins O with the Grebe-Lemoine point K of ABC.

COROLLARY 2. The pedal circle of a point on HJ goes through its centre X125 .
Conversely, if the pedal circle of a point P outside the Euler line GO of ABC contains
the point X125 , then P lies on HJ .

COROLLARY 3. The pedal circle of a point on HK goes through its centre X115 .
Conversely, if the pedal circle of a point P outside the Brocard axis KO of ABC con-
tains the point X115 , then P lies on HK .
46 ZVONKO CíERIN

3. Cevian Circles
In this Section we shall prove analogues of the results from the previous section for
Cevian circles.

THEOREM 3. Let a triangle ABC be inscribed in a rectangular hyperbola H. The

Cevian circle of a point P outside the sidelines BC, CA, and AB of ABC passes through
the centre T of H if and only if P is either on H or on a certain curve of order four that
goes through the vertices A, B, and C and the centroid G of ABC.
Proof. The proof is similar to the proof of Theorem 2 so that we shall use the same
notation. The only difference is that some expressions and some computations are
more complex and we are unable to ¢nd a completely satisfactory geometric descrip-
tion of the quartic which is the locus of the points outside the hyperbola whose
Cevian circles pass through its centre.
The coordinates of the vertices of the Cevian triangle of a point P with coordinates
…x; y† with respect to ABC are ‰pa x=qa ; pa y=qa Š, ‰pb s=qb ; 2 f pb =qb Š, and
‰pc =qc ; 0Š, where pa ˆ 2 g h r, pb ˆ h r y, pc ˆ 2 g r …f x ÿ s y†, qa ˆ 2 g x ‡ u y,
qb ˆ 2 f …h r ÿ x† ‡ s y, and qc ˆ 2 f g r ÿ k y.
We now substitute the above values in the condition that four points be concyclic.
We get L ˆ ÿf g h r4 U W =…2 k2 q2a q2b q2c …m2 ‡ l2 ††, where U is the equation of a cer-
tain curve of order 4 that in trilinear coordinates has equation Z ˆ 0, where Z is

s m ‡ 2 f l 2 2 u m ÿ 2 g l 2 2 …k ÿ w ‡ 2†…k ‡ w ‡ 2† m ÿ 2 k w l 2 2
y z ‡ z x ÿ x y: &
f g hk

Like Theorem 2, the above theorem allows the following characterisations for the
Feuerbach, Jarabek, and Kiepert hyperbolas of a triangle ABC.
Let a, b, and c denote lengths of sides of ABC.

COROLLARY 4. The Cevian circle of a point on HF goes through X11 . Conversely, if

the Cevian circle of a point P outside the quartic with the equation

bÿc 2 2 cÿa 2 2 aÿb 2 2

y z ‡ z x ‡ x y ˆ0
a b c

(in trilinear coordinates) contains the Feuerbach point X11 , then P lies on HF .

COROLLARY 5. The Cevian circle of a point on HJ goes through X125 . Conversely, if

the Cevian circle of a point P outside the quartic with the equation

b2 ÿ c 2 2 2 c 2 ÿ a2 2 2 a2 ÿ b2 2 2
y z ‡ z x ‡ x y ˆ0
a2 b2 c2

(in trilinear coordinates) contains X125 , then P lies on HJ .

ON PROPERTIES OF RECTANGULAR HYPERBOLAS 47

COROLLARY 6. The Cevian circle of a point on HK goes through X115 . Conversely,

if the Cevian circle of a point P outside the quartic with the equation

…b2 ÿ c2 † y2 z2 ‡ …c2 ÿ a2 † z2 x2 ‡ …a2 ÿ b2 † x2 y2 ˆ 0

(in trilinear coordinates) contains X115 , then P lies on HK .

Proof. The above three corollaries have analogous proofs that could be outlined as
follows in the case of Corollary 4. Compute L for the points Pac , Pbc , Pcc , and X11 .
Important factors are the equation of the Feuerbach hyperbola and the equation
of the curve of order 4. In the denominator there appear the equations of the sidelines
of ABC. In order to transfer the equation of the quartic to trilinear coordinates one
uses the transition substitutions
g h r …t y ‡ s z† 2f ghrz
pˆ ; qˆ :
f vx ‡ gty ‡ hkz f vx ‡ gty ‡ hkz

Acknowledgement
The author thanks the referee whose comments substantially improved the
exposition.

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