INVERSION

LE VIET AN
levietan.spt@gmail.com

1. Abstract Knowledge
Consider a sphere sitting on a point O of a plane. If we remove the north pole N of the sphere,
we get a punctured sphere. For every point P on the plane, the line N P will intersect the
punctured sphere at a unique point SP . So this gives a one-to-one correspondence between the
plane and the punctured sphere. If we consider the points P on a circle in the plane, then the
SP points will form a circle on the punctured sphere. However, if we consider the points P on
any line in the plane, then the SP points will form a punctured circle on the sphere with N
as the point removed from the circle. If we move a point P on any line on the plane toward
infinity, then SP will go toward the same point N ! Thus, in this model, all lines can be thought
of as going to the same infinity.
Now for the method of inversion, let O be a point on the plane and k be a real number which is
different from 0. The inversion IOk with center O and the power of point k is the function on
the extended plane that sends a point X ≠ O to the image point X ∗ such that

OX · OX ∗ = k.

and we denote by IOk : X 7→ X ∗ . Clearly: IOk : X ∗ 7→ X, hence we can write that

IOk : X ↔ X ∗

When X ≡ O, X ∗ is taken to be the point at infinity. When X is infinity, ∗

√ X is taken to be O.
When k > 0 then we have that the circle with center O and radius k is called the circle of
inversion. Furthermore, the image point X ∗ on the ray OX and OX · OX ∗ = k.

The method of inversion is based on the following facts.

(1) The function sending X to X ∗ described above is a one-to-one correspondence between

the extended plane with itself. (This follows from checking (X ∗ )∗ ≡ X.)

(2) If X is on the circle of inversion, then X ∗ ≡ X. If X is outside the circle of inversion,

then X ∗ is the midpoint of the chord formed by the tangent points T1 , T2 of the tangent
lines from X to the circle of inversion.

(3) A circle not passing through O is sent to a circle not passing through O. In this case, the
images of concyclic points are concyclic. The point O, the centers of the circle and the
image circle are collinear. However, the center of the circle is not sent to the center of the
image circle!

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(4) A circle passing through O is sent to a line which is not passing through O and is parallel
to the tangent line to the circle at O. Conversely, a line not passing through O is sent to a
circle passing through O with the tangent line at O parallel to the line.
(5) A line passing through O is sent to itself.
(6) If two curves intersect at a certain angle at a point P ̸= O, then the image curves will
also intersect at the same angle at P ∗ . If the angle is a right angle, the curves are said to
be orthogonal. So in particular, orthogonal curves at P are sent to orthogonal curves at
P ∗ . A circle orthogonal to the circle of inversion is sent to itself. Tangent curves at P are
sent to tangent curves at P ∗ .
(7) If points A, B are different from O and points O, A, B are not collinear, then the equation
∗
OA · OA∗ = k = OB · OB ∗ implies OB OA
= OB ∗
OA∗ . Along with ∠AOB = ∠B OA , they
∗
∗ ∗ ∗ |k|
imply the triangles OAB and OB ∗ A∗ are similar. Then AAB B
= OA
OB = OA·OB , so that

|k|
A∗ B ∗ = · AB.
OA · OB

(8) The orthogonality of two circles is conserve, if two circles pass through O then we get
the perpendicular line; if there is only a circle passing through O then we get a circle
passing through the center of circle.
√
(9) Every circles pass through A and A∗ then they are orthogonal to (O; k ).
√
(10) If two circles meet each other and all of them are orthogonal to (O; k ) then one of the
points of intersection is the image from the other under IOk .
√
(11) If the line AA∗ meets (O; k ) at B, C then (AA∗ , BC ) = −1.

2. PRACTICE
The following are some examples that illustrate the powerful method of inversion. In each
example, when we do inversion, it is often that we take the point that plays the most significant
role and where many circles and lines intersect.
Problem 1 (Le Viet An). Let ABC be a triangle and AD, AE be the internal bisector and
external bisector of this one. Prove that there exists a circle tangent to the circumcircles of the
triangles ABD, ACD, ABE and ACE.
Problem 2 (Le Viet An). Given an acute triangle ABC not isosceles at A, inscribed in the
circle (O) which its perpendicular lines BE and CF meet at H. AH meet (O) again at K. Let
Q be the point on (O) such that ∠HQK = 90◦ . Prove that the circumcircles of triangles HQK
and QEF are tangent.
Problem 3 (Useful). Given a triangle ABC having the circumcenter O. Let D, E be the
points belonging to AB, AC such that the points B, C, D, E lie on the same circle, respectively.
Then AO is perpendicular to DE.
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Problem 4 (Le Viet An). Given a triangle ABC, CA > AB > BC, inscribed the circle
(O). The points D, E lie on the same line BC such that DB = BC = CE. Let (K ) be the
circle passing through B, D and being tangent to AB; and let (L) be the circle passing through
C, E and being tangent to AC. The circles (K ), (L) meet (O) again at F, G, respectively.

a) Prove that the lines DF and EG meet at a point lying on (O).

b) Suppose that two lines BL and CK are distinct and meet at H. Prove that AH is
perpendicular to BC.

Problem 5 (Nguyen Duy Phuoc). Given an acute triangle ABC, not isosceles, inscribed
in the circle (O), the perpendicular line AD. Let H be the point lying on the segment AD
(H is different from A and D). The bisector perpendicular line of AH meets CA, AB, OA at
E, F, K, respectively. Prove that the point of intersection of DK and OH lies on the radical
axis of the two circumcircles of triangles BHC and OEF .

Problem 6. Given an acute triangle ABC, not isosceles, inscribed in the circle (O) having
that M, N are the midpoints of AB, AC, respectively. Let D be the midpoint of the large arc
BC of circle (O). Suppose that K is the point such that

∠KAB = 2 · ∠KBA and ∠KAC = 2 · ∠KCA.

a) Prove that KA = KD.

b) Suppose that AD meets BC at T and T M meets the circumcircle of triangle BM C

again at R, T N meets the circumcircle of triangle BN C again at S. Let P the point of
intersection of KB and OM , Q be the point of intersection of KC and ON . Prove that
the radical axis of the two circumcircles of triangles T QR and T P S passes through O.

Problem 7 (Le Viet An). Given a triangle ABC inscribed in the circle (O). A circle (K )
passing through B, C meets CA, AB at E, F , respectively. The line EF meets (O) at P, Q
such that A, P, B, C and Q lie on (O) in that order.

a) Let H be the point of intersection of BE and CF . Prove that ∠HP K = ∠HQK.

b) Lines KP, KQ meet (O) again at M, N , respectively. Prove that the line passing through
A and being perpendicular to M N passes through the circumcenter HBC.

Problem 8 (Le Viet An). Given a triangle ABC inscribed in the circle (O). Let (I ) be the
incircle of triangle ABC. Let ℓ be the line containing the common chord of the circumcircle
of triangle BIC and (I ). The external bisectors at vertices B and C with ℓ meet at the points
forming the triangle XY Z. Prove that the circumcircle of triangle XY Z is tangent to (I ).

Problem 9. Given an acute triangle ABC, not isosceles, having the perpendicular lines
AHa , BHb , CHc . Suppose that there exists a circle passing through B, C and being tangent to
the segment Hb Hc at Xa . Similarly to the points Xb and Xc . Prove that the lines AXa , BXb
and CXc are concurrent.

Problem 10 (Nguyen Duy Phuoc). Given a triangle ABC inscribed in the circle (O). Let
I be the movable point on the inner bisector ray of angle ∠BAC. Lines AI, BI, CI meet (O)
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again at D, E, F . The line passing through I and parallel to BC meeting DB, DC at M, N ,

respectively. Let P be the point lying on (O) such that IP is parallel to BC. Prove that the
radical center of the circumcircles of triangles M F B, N CE and the circle ⊙(D; DP ) lies on
the fix line when I is movable.