Geometry
Five centers of Triangles
Questions
Read Symbol defintion
Q01 |
- Diagrams : Five centers of triangles
Q02 |
- Definition : Five centers of triangles
Q03 |
- Incenter of triangle
Q04 |
- Escenter of triangle
Q05 |
- Excenter of triangle
Q06 |
- Gravity center of triangle
Q07 |
- Orthocenter of triangle
Q08 |
- Prove that ex-center, gravity center and orthocenter are colinear.
Q09 |
- Draw Ex-center E and orthocenter O in large triangle.
Let AOH be the height and EM be bisector of side BC.
Prove that EM : AO = 1 : 2.
Q10 |
- Questions
Q11 |
- Geometric terms
Answers
Q01. Diagrams
Top left diagram
Use A, B, C express triangle sides and a, b, c express the sides.
Triagle area = (height)*(base)/2.
Top mid diagram : Orthocenter
Three heights of triangle are concurrent
Top right diagram : Circumcenter or ex-center
Three bisectors of sides of triangle are concurrent.
Bottom left diagram : Gravity center or centroid
Three medians are concurrent.
Bottom mid diagram : In-center
Three bisectors of interior triangles .
Bottom right diagram : Es-center
One bisector of interior angle and two bisector of exterior angles are concurrent.
Go to Begin
Q02. Defintion
In-center
Three bisectors of interior angles of a triangle are concurrent.
In-center to three sides has equal distance.
Ex-center or circumcenter
Three bisectors of the sides a triangle are concurrent.
Ex-center to three vertices has equal distance.
Es-center
One bisector of interior angle with 2 bisectors of exterior angles are concurrent.
Es-center to three sides has same distance.
One triangle can have three es-centers.
Join the es-centers to make a special triangle.
Gravity center or centroid
Three medians of a triangle are concurrent.
From centroid G to vertex A = 2*(AM)/3 where M is mid point on BC.
Medain is the line from vertex to the mid point of the opssite side.
Orthocenter
Three altitudes or heights of a triangle are concurrent.
If AH is height, we can use AC as diameter to draw a circle passing H.
If AH is height, we can use AB as diameter to draw a circle passing H.
Go to Begin
Q03. In-center of triangle
Definition :
Three bisectors of interior angles meet at one point.
The center is inside the triangle.
Properties :
Incenter has same distance from the sides of triangle.
An incircle can be drawn to touch the sides of triangle.
Prove that three bisectors interior angles meet one point.
Construction : Draw diagram on paper
Draw bisector at angle A and angle B. These two bisectors meet at I.
From center I to side AB is D and to AC is E. Hence ID = IE.
From center I to side BC is F and to BA is D. Hence ID = IF.
Join I and C. Prove that IC is a bisector of angle C.
Proof
IE = IF. Angle IEC = angle IFC = 90 degrees
IC is common side of triangle IEC and IFC.
Hence triangle IEC is congruent to triangle IFC.
Hence angle ICF = angle ICE.
Hence line IC is also a bisector of angle C.
Go to Begin
Q04. Es-center of triangle
Definition :
Intersection of 2 bisectors of exterior angles and 1 bisector of interior angle.
The center is outside of the triangle.
A trinagle can have 3 escenters.
Properties :
Escenter has same distance from the sides of triangle.
An escircle can be drawn to touch thhree sides of triangle.
Prove that One bisector of interior angle and two bisectors of exterior angles are concurent.
Construction.
Draw bisector at exterior angle A and angle B. These two bisectors meet at P.
From center P to side CA is D and to AB is E. Hence PD = PE.
From center P to side CB is F and to BA is E. Hence PD = PF.
Join P and C. Prove that PC is a bisector of angle C.
Proof
PE = PF. Angle PDC = angle PFC = 90 degrees
PC is common side of triangle PDC and PFC.
Hence triangle PDC is congruent to triangle PFC.
Hence angle PCD = angle PCF.
Hence line PC is also a bisector of angle C.
Go to Begin
Q05. Ex-center of triangle
Definition :
Three bisectors of three sides meet at one point.
The center is insdie the triangle It is also called circumcenter.
Properties :
Excenter has same distance from the vertices of triangle.
An excircle can be drawn to pass the vertices of triangle.
Prove that three bisectors of three sides meet one point.
Construction
Draw bisector of side AB at D and bisector of side BC at E.
These two bisectors meet at Q.
From center Q to vertex A and vertex B are equal. Hence QA = QB.
From center Q to vertex B and vertex C are equal. Hence QB = QC.
Draw line from Q to mid point F of AC.
Prove that QF is a bisector of side AC.
Proof
QA = QC. AF = FC.
QF is common side of triangle QAF and QCF.
Hence triangle QAF is congruent to triangle QCF.
Hence angle QFA = angle QFC = 90 degrees since AC is straight line.
Hence line QF is a bisector of side AC.
Go to Begin
Q06. Gravity center of triangle
Definition :
Three medians of a triangle meet at one point G. It is also called centroid.
If AD is one median. then D is mid point of BC.
Then we have DG = GA/2 = AD/3.
Properties
Prove that three medians meet at one pint.
Construction
Draw triangle ABC.
Draw CF as one median and BE as another median.
CF and BE meet at G.
Draw line AG and extend to D on side BC.
If D is mid-point, then AD is a median and passes point G.
Proof is complete. How to prove D is mid-point of BC ?
Proof
Extend line AD to H so that AG = GH.
In triangle ABH, FG = BH/2 and FG parallel to BH. GC parallel to BH.
In triangle ACH, EG = CH/2 and FG parallel to CH. BG parallel to CH.
Hence BGCH is a parallelogram.
Bisect of the diagonal giving that BD = DC and DG = DH.
Hence D is mid-point of BC.
Hence AD is a median and passes G.
Prove that gravity center to vertex is (2*median)/3.
From above, we see that GD = DH = AG/2. Hence AG = 2*DG.
AD = AG + GD = 3*GD. Hence GD = AD/3.
Hence AG = 2*AD/3. AD is a median.
Go to Begin
Q07. Orthocenter of triangle
Definition :
Three heights of a triangle meet at one point O.
If AD is one height. then angle ADB = 90.
Use AB as a diameter making a circle which will pass point D.
Use AC as a diameter making a circle which will pass point D.
Properties : Constructions
Draw line through A parallel to BC.
Draw line through B parallel to AC.
Draw line through C parallel to AB.
Let PQ parallel to AC. Let PR parallel to BC. Let QR parallel to AB.
It forms a triangle PQR whose excenter is the orthocenter of triangle ABC.
Prove that three medians meet at one pint.
Construction
As above, draw triangle ABC and triangle PQR.
Draw CF perpendicular to AB.
Draw BE perpendicular to AC.
CF and BE meet at O which is the orthocenter.
Draw line AO and extend to D on side BC,
IF AD is perpendicular to BC. The proof is done.
Proof : AD is perpendiuclar to BC.
Since O is ex-center of triangle PQR, hence OA is perpendicular to PR.
PR is parallel to BC by construction.
Hence AD is perpendicular to BC.
AD passes to O and AD is a height of triangle ABC.
Go to Begin
Q08. Prove that ex-center, gravity center and orthocenter are colinear.
Construction method
Draw a very large triangle ABC.
Draw the ex-center E of triangle ABC.
Draw the gravity center G of triangle ABC.
Draw the ortho-center O of triangle ABC.
We can see that points E, G, O are on a straight line.
Coordinate geometric method
Draw a triangle ABC using (x1,y1), (x2,y2), (x3,y3).
Find coordinate of the ex-center E(xe,ye) of triangle ABC.
Find coordinate of the gravity center G(xg,yg) of triangle ABC.
Find coordinate of the ortho-center O(xO,yO) of triangle ABC.
Find s1 = slope of EG and s2 = slope EO.
If s1 = s2, then the proof is complete
Geometrical method
Construction
Draw ex-center E, gravity center G and orthocenter O.
Let AM is redian and AH is the height.
Draw mid point P on AG.
Draw mid point Q on OG.
Prove that triangle PQG is congruent to GEM.
Proof
PQ is parallel to AO or AH.
Angle EMG = angle GPQ.
PG = AG/2 = GM
PQ = AO/2 = EM (See Q09)
Hence triangle PQG is congruent to EGM.
Hence angle EGM = angle PGQ.
Since AGM is a line, hence EGO is a line
Go to Begin
Q09. Ex-center E and orthocenter O. AOH is height. EM bisector of BC. Prove that AO = 2*EM
Construction
Draw large triangle. Draw ex-center E and orthocenter O.
Draw AH perpendicur BC and EM bisect BC.
Prove that AO = 2*EM.
Proof
Let N be mid point on AB.
Hence MN parallel to AC and MN = AC/2
Draw mid point P on AO and Q on OC.
Hence PQ parallel to AC and PQ = BC/2.
Since PQ parallel to MN and PQ = MN.
Also EM parallel to AO and EN parallel to OQ.
Hence triangle EMN is congruent to POQ.
Hence OP = EM = AO/2
Go to Begin
Q10. Questions
1. How to draw bisector of an angle ?
2. How to draw bisector of a line ?
3. What is median of a triangle ?
4. What is altitude of a triangle ?
5. What is the property of bisector of an angle ?
6. What is the property of bisector of a line ?
7. A point P to two fixed points A and B have same distance. What is locus P ?
8. A point P to two arms of an angle keeps same distance. What is locus of P ?
9. Prove that three bisectors of interior angles of triangle meet one point.
10 Prove that three bisectors of three sides of triangle meet one point.
11 Draw gravity center G of triangle.
Let AGM be one median of the triangle.
Prove that MG : GA : MA = 1 : 2 : 3.
Go to Begin
Q11. Geometric terms about triangle
1. Colinear of points : Three or more points on same line.
2. Concurrent of three lines : Three lines meet at one point
3. Congruent of triangle : Two triangles are idential sides (SSS)
Go to Begin
Show Room of MD2002
Contact Dr. Shih
Math Examples Room
Copyright © Dr. K. G. Shih. Nova Scotia, Canada.