Auxiliary conics

A.Zaslavsky, A.Akopjan

It seems that the problems of p.1 are not coherent. They are assotiated by the difficulty
of elementary solution. But all this problems have nice solutions using the properties of
some auxiliary conics. Some theorems describing these properties are cited in p.1, the
other will be given in p.2
Definition 1. Ellipse is the locus of points P such that the sum P F1 + P F2 of
distances from P to two fixed points — the foci of ellipse — is the consnant.
Definition 2. Hyperbola is the locus of points P such that the modul of difference
|P F1 − P F2 | from P to two fixed points — the foci of hyperbola — is the consatant.
Hyperbola has two branches approaching in infinity to two lines — the asymptotes to
hyperbola. The hyperbola with perpendicular asymptotes is called equilateral.
Definition 3. Parabola is the locus of points P such that the distances from P to the
fixed point F and the fixed line l — the focus and the directix of parabola — are equal.
The perpendicular from F to l is called the axis of parabola.
Definition 4. The points P and Q are isogonally conjugated with respect to the
triangle ABC, if the lines AP and AQ, BP and BQ, CP and CQ are symmetric with
respect to the bissectors of the respective angles.
Definition 5. Let the quadrilateral be given. The line passing through the midpoints
of its diagonals is called the Gauss line.

1 The problems
1. Let four general lines be given.
a) Prove that the circumcircles of four triangles formed by this lines have the common
point (the Michel point).
b) Prove that the orthocenters of these triangles lie on the line perpendicular to the
Gauss line of given quadrilateral. (This line is called the Aubert line.)
c) (L.Emelyanov) Let three lines distinct from given and passing through their com-
mon points be considered. Prove that the nine point circle of the triangle formed by these
lines pass through the Michel point of given quadrilateral and the circumcenter of this
triangle lies on the Aubert line.
2. Given the triangle ABC and two points P , Q. The lines AP and AQ intersect BC
in the points A1 , A2 respectively. The point B1 , B2 , C1 , C2 are defined similaply. (The
triangle A1 B1 C1 is called the cevian triangle of P with respect to thev triangle ABC.)
A3 — is the common point of AA1 and B2 C2 ; A4 — the common point of AA2 and B1 C1 ;
B3 , C3 , B4 , C4 are defined similarly. Prove that the lines A1 A4 , A2 A3 , B1 B4 , B2 B3 , C1 C4 ,
C2 C3 are concurent.
Addition. What is the common point of these lines when P and Q are:
a) the centroid and the Gergonne point (the common point of the lines passing through
the vertex and the touching points of opposite sidelines with the incircle);
b) the centroid and the orthocenter;
c) two diametral points of the circumcircle.
3. Prove the optical property of the parabola: the tangent in point X to the
parabola with th focus F formes the equal angles with XF and the axis of parabola.

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 4. Prove that the reflection of focus in the tangent lies on the directrix of the parabola.
5. Find the locus of projections of the focus to the tangents of the parabola.
Theorem 1. If the sidelines of the triangle touche the parabola then the circumcrcle
pass through the focus and the orthocenter lies on the directrix.
Theorem 2. There exists the single conic passing trough five given general points.
Theorem 3. There exists the single conic touching five given general lines.
Theorem 4. All conics are projectively equivalent. In part any conic can be projec-
tively transformed to the circle. This allows to define the polarity with respect to any
conic and to formulate the duality principe.
6. The points X and X ′ , Y and Y ′ are isogonally conjugated with respect to the
triangle ABC. U, V are the common points of XY and X ′ Y ′ , XY ′ and X ′ Y . Prove that
U and V are isogonally conjugated with respect to ABC.
7. The triangles ABC and A′ B ′ C ′ are centrosymmetric. Three parallel lines pass
through A′ , B ′ , C ′ . Prove that their common points with BC, CA, AB respectovely are
collinear.
8. Each of three circles lies outside two other. The hexagon formed by their common
internal tangents is considered. Prove that its main diagonals concur.
9. The distances from the point T to the opposite sidelines of the convex quadri-
lateral are equal. Prove that T lies on the Gauss line iff the quadrilateral is inscribed,
circumscribed or the trapezoid.
10. The points A, B are inside the angle with vertex O. The billiards ball can come
from A to B after the reflection from one side of the angle in the point X or after the
reflection from the other side in the point Y . The points C, Z are the midpoints of AB,
XY respectively.
a) 6 O = 90◦ . Prove that the line CZ pass through O.
b) 6 O 6= 90◦ . Prove that CZ pass through O iff lengths of path AXB and AY B are
equal.
11. (The Droz-Farny theorem) Two perpendicular lines pass through the ortho-
center of the triangle ABC. Prove that the midpoints of segments striked by these lines
in the sidelines of ABC are collinear.
12. (L.Emelyanov) AA1 , BB1 are the altitudes of the triangle ABC; C ∗ is the point
on the line A1 B1 . Any line passing through C ∗ intersect BC and AC in the points A′ and
B ′ respectively. P is the common point of AA′ and BB ′ ; C ′ the common point of AB
and CP . Prove that all circumcircles of the triangles A′ B ′ C ′ have the common point.
13. AA1 , AA2 are the altitude and the bissector of the triangle ABC; A3 , A4 are
the touching points of BC with the incircle and the excircle. The points B1 , . . . , B4 ,
C1 , . . . , C4 are defined similarly.
a) Prove that the lines A1 B1 , A2 B2 , A3 B3 , A4 B4 concur.
b) Prove that the circumcircles of the triangles A1 B1 C1 , A2 B2 C2 , A3 B3 C3 , A4 B4 C4
have the common point.
14. Given the triangle ABC and the line passing through its circumcenter O. Prove
that the pedal circles of all points on this line have the common point. (The triangle
formed by the projections of the point P to the lines AB, BC, CA and its circumcircle
are called the pedal triangle and the pedal circle of the point P with respect the triangle
ABC.)
15. Two triangles are similar, oppositely oriented and their orthocenters coincide.
Prove that they are perspective.

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2 The properties of conics
Theorem 5. (Pascal) Six points lie on the conic iff the common points of opposite
sidelines of respective hexagon are collinear.
Theorem 6. (Brianchon) Six lines touche the conic iff the main diagonals of respec-
tive hexagon concur.
Theorem 7. The Gauss line of the quadrilateral is the locus of the centers of inscribed
conics.
Theorem 8. Let four points A, B, C, D be given. X, Y , Z are the common points
of AB and CD, AC and BD, AD BC respectively. P is any point distinct from X,
Y , Z. Then all polars of P with respect to the conics passing through A, B, C, D have
the common point. In part if A, B, C, D are orthocentric then this point is isogonally
conjugated to P with respect the triangle XY Z.
Theorem 9. Let the line l don’t pass through the points A, B, C. Then the the
isogonal image of l with respect to the triangle ABC is the circumconic of ABC.
Theorem 10. Let two triangles A1 B1 C1 and A2 B2 C2 be given. C ′ , A′ , B ′ are the
common points of A1 B1 and A2 B2 , B1 C1 and B2 C2 , C1 A1 and C2 A2 respectively. If the
triangle A′ B ′ C ′ is perspective to both triangles A1 B1 C1 and A2 B2 C2 with perspective
centers D1 , D2 , then the points A1 , B1 , C1 , D1 , A2 , B2 , C2 , D2 lie on the conic.
Theorem 11. (Four conics theorem) Let each two from three conics have four
common points. Six common points (two for each pair of conics) lie on the conic iff three
common chords passing through another six points concur.
Theorem 12. The tangents from the point P to the parabola are perpendicular iff P
lies on the directrix.
Theorem 13. The circumconic of the triangle is the equilaterale hyperbola iff it pass
through the orthocenter.
Theorem 14. The nine points circle of the triangle is the locus of centers of equilateral
circumhiperbolaes.
Theorem 15. The pedal and the cevian circles of the point P with repect to the
triangle ABC pass through the center of equilateral hyperbola ABCP .

3 References
A.V.Akopjan, A.A.Zaslavsky. The properties of conics. AMS, ???.

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 Auxiliary conics
A.Zaslavsky, A.Akopjan

Solutions
1. Using the theorem 3 for four given lines and infinity line we receive that tere exists
the single parabola touching the given lines. By the theorem 1 its focus is the Michel
point of the quadrilateral and the directrix is its Aubert line. Also we can apply the
dual theorem 10 to for given lines, the infinity line and three medial lines of the diagonal
triangle. It results that the medial lines touche the same parabola, so we receive the proof
of p.c).
2. Let tehe conic ABCP Q be considered. The pole of P Q with respect to this conic
is the sought points. This follows from the p.c) of the addition and the theorem 4.
Addition
a) the incenter;
b) the Lemoine point isogonally conjugated to the centroid;
c) the infinite point with the direction perpendicular to P Q.
3. Let X ′ be the projection of X to the directrix. Suppose that the bissector of angle
F XX ′ don’t coincide with the tangent. Then it intersect the parabola in some point
Y distinct from X and F Y = Y Y ′ , where Y ′ is the projection of Y to the directrix.
As F X = XX ′, 6 F XY = 6 X ′ XY the triangles F XY and X ′ XY are congruent, so
F Y = Y X ′ . But Y Y ′ < Y X ′ — contradiction.
4. Using the notations of previous problem we receive that F and X ′ are symmetric
with respect to the tangent.
5. Using the result of previous problem we receive that the sought locus is the tangent
to the parabola in its vertex.
6. Let the pencil of conics passing through the incenter and the excenters of ABC be
considered. By the theorem 8 all polars of X with respect to the conics of this pencil pass
through X ′ . Let C be such conic that the polar of X with respest to C coincide with X ′ Y ′ .
Then the polar of Y ′ pass through X, and so coincide with XY . As U is the common
point of polars of X and Y ′ , XY ′ is the polar of U. So the polar of U pass through V .
Similarly we can find such conic that the polar of U coincide with X ′ Y . By the theorem
8 V is isogonally conjugated to U.
7. By the Brianchon theorem the given triangles have cjmmjn inscribed conic. Let
some line passing through A′ be intersect BC in the point P , and the parallel line passing
through B ′ be intersect AC in the point Q. Using the Brianchon theorem for the hexagon
A′ XQP Y B ′ where X, Y are the the infinite points of AC and BC repectively, we obtain
that the line P Q also touches this conic. This follows the sought assertion.
8. The common points of common external tangents are collinear. So we can use the
dual four conics theorem.
9. By the theorem 7 T is the center of some inscribed conic. As the distances from T to
opposite sidelines are equal, these sideline are parallel or symmetric with respect to some
axis of this conic. If the both pairs of opposite sideline are symmetric with respect to the
same axis then there exists the circle inscribed to given quadrilateral. If the symmetry
axis are distinct then the bissectors of two angles formed by the opposite sideline are
perpendicular and so the quadrilateral is cyclic.

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 10. This is the reformulation of previous problem for the quadrilateral formed by the
lines AX, BX, AY , BY .
11. By the theorems 1, 12 there exists a parabola with focus F touching the sidelines of
the triangle and two perpendicular lines passing through its orthocenter H. The midpoints
of stiked segments are the circumcenters of respective rectangular triangles, so they lie in
medial perpendicular to HF .
12. If the triangle ABC is rectangular and isosceles (AC = BC) and C ∗ is the infinite
point perpendicular to AB then the locus of points P is the circumcenter of ABC. Using
respective projective transformation we obtain that in general case the locus of P is the
circumconic.
Now as this conic pass through the orthocenter it is the equilateral hyperbola and by
theorem 15 all circles A′ B ′ C ′ pass through its center.
13. The orthocenter, the incenter the Gergonne point and the Nagel point are isog-
onally conjugated to the circumcenter, the incenter and two homothety centers of the
incircle and the circumcircle respectively. So the isogonal images of four points lie on the
line passing through O. By the theorem 9 these points lie on the equilateral circumhiper-
bola and we can use the assertion of previous problem.
14. The pedal circles of two isogonal points coincide. So the assertion of problem
follows from the theorems 9, 15.
15. The similarity F transforming one of given triangles to the other is the composition
of reflection in some line l passing through common orthocenter H and homothety with
center H. Let Γ be an equilateral circumhyperbola of given triangle ABC such that
one of its asymptotes is parallel to l. Similarly Γ′ is the equilateral hyperbola of second
triangle A′ B ′ C ′ with the same directions of asymptotes. Γ and Γ′ have three real common
points: H, and two infinite points. So their fourth common point P is also real. F define
projective tranformation from Γ to Γ′ such that three common points of hyperbolaes leave
fixed. The single transformation with this property is the projection from fourth common
point P . So P is the perspective center of given triangles.