The orthopole transformation

Lang Fred October 22, 2006

Well study the orthopole transformation . It associate to a line d its orthopole : (d) = Its a second degree non birational 3/1 correlative transformation and the improper line is singular.

Classical related theorems

Theorem 1 (Lemoine) The pedal circles CP of the points P of a line d forms a net Cd , i.e. the radical axis concur at a point , this point is the common radical center of the circles, it is the center of the net. [17] If d (O) = {I, J }, then = I J is the orthopol of d. A net is singular if the center is on a circle of the net, it is then on all circles of the net. Theorem 2 (Bouvaist) The pedal circles CP of the points P of a diameter d of (O) have a common point (N ), focus of a parabola inscribed in the medial triangle and with directrix d, center of the equilateral circumscribed hyperbola d . [2, 20] Theorem 3 An inscribed parabola in ABC has a focus F (O), a directrix through H , an axis parallel to F and a perspector in the Steiner circumellipse. There exists a unique parabola inscribed in ABC and tangent to a line d, the orthopol of d is then on the directrix.

Proposition 1 The net Cd is singular i d is orthogonal to a side of ABC or d is a diameter of (O).

Preimage of a point

The inverse transformation associate to a point three orthopolar lines P Q, P R, QR: 1 ( ) = P Q P R QR with P, Q, R (O) and P Q R = (See g (1)). The three simson lines of P, Q, R are the tangents issued from to the hypocyclo d of Steiner of ABC .

P
P

P
R

O Q R

O Q R

K1

Figure 1: The three orthopolar lines P Q, P R, QR of the point .

P R

R O Q N 1 H 3 B C

Figure 2: The three orthopolar lines P Q, P R, QR of the point (N ). The Simson line of P is
perpendicular to QR and to 1 2 (Theorem of Th ebault.). P Q is a diameter of (O) and 1 2 of (N ). , 1 , 2 are the middle points of HP, HQ, HR.

They are orthogonal to the sides of P QR. ([24]) Given the line d = QR, Thebault ([24]) give a very easy construction of the point P (See g (1)): 1. The perpendicular to QR issued from A cut (O) in K1 2. The perpendicular to BC issued from K1 cut (O) in P

Let Q (N ) = {, 1 } and R (N ) = {, 2 }, P is the altitude from of the triangle 1 2 and 1 2 QR. , 1 , 2 are the middle points of HP, HQ, HR. [24] (See g (2))

Preimage of a line

Proposition 2 1. if d is a proper line then 1 (d) is a tangential parabola [Pd ]. [12] 1 (d) = [Pd] The set of such parabolas form a tangential net generated by the three degenerated parabo las [A ] [A ], [B ] [B ] and [C ] [C ]. 2. The parabola Pd is degenerated i d is a simson line. In this case d = M and 1 (d) = [M ] [d ] 3. The parabola Pd is nondegenerated and inscribed in ABC i d H and is not an altitude of ABC . For example, 1 (OH ) is the Kiepert parabola. 4. If d and d are parallels then Pd and Pd are homothetic. Well call this parabola, the orthopolar parabola of the line d. Ideas of proof [9] 1. If d and d are parallels then Pd and Pd dont have any common real tangent (its orthopole would be the improper point d d ), hence they are tangent at innity. 2. The focus of Pd is the reection F in (O) of F = (d ) . Pd is homothetic to the inscribed parabola P with the same focus F . The axis of Pd is perpendicular to F through F and its directrix d1 is parallel to d and to F , it is the reection in d of the Steiner line d0 of F , directrix of P . 1 Now Pd is degenerated if F d1 , this means that d is the vertexs tangent of P , hence d is the Simson line of F . 3. If d is a Simson line, then d = M . A line P Q with P, Q (O) has an orthopol = P Q . The condition M is equivalent to M P Q or P Q d. Corollary 1 (preimage of A = AH ) 1 (AH ) = [A] [A ] 1. If d [A] then d = AP, P (O) and = AH P . 2. If d [A ] then d BC and = AH B1 B2 where B1 is the projection of B on d and B2 is the projection of B1 on AC .
1

The Steiner line of F is the line through the reections of F relative to the side of ABC , it goes through H .

3. If AH then 1 ( ) = AP AQ P Q, where P Q is parallel to BC by and P, Q (O). Construction: The lines C1 AB and CC1 BC intersect at C1 , the same for B1 , then B1 C1 = P Q. In particular 1 (H ) = AB AC BC . Corollary 2 (preimage of A = BC )
1 (BC ) = [A ] [A ]

1. A d means d BC , in this case = d BC . 2. If d [A ] then d = A P, P (O), and = BC P . 3. If BC then 1 ( ) = P Q A P A Q, where P Q is perpendicular to BC by and P, Q (O). Proposition 3 1 (L ) = [I ] [J ] No real line can have an orthopol at innity: (d) L I d or J d The reason is that the hypocyclo d of Steiner is bicircular of class 3. Hence there is only one tangent to it parallel to a given direction, and therefore two simson lines cannot be parallels. Proposition 4 (d) d d is orthogonal to a side of ABC

Preimage of the Euler circle

Proposition 5 1. It is well known that if d is a diameter of (O) then = (d) (N ). Equivalently ([O ]) = (N ) 2. More generally 1 ((N )) = [O ] [2 ] where 2 is an hypocyclo d. Equivalently (N ) d is a diameter of (O) or d [2 ]. Commentaries: 1. Recall that 1 ( ) = P Q P R QR, with P, Q, R (O), P Q R = and O QR. (See g 2). 2. Moreover Q R .

3. Let Q (N ) = {, 1 } and R (N ) = {, 2 }. The triangle 12 is rectangular, P is the altitude of 12 from and 1 2 4. The triangle P QR is rectangle i (N ). [18, 22] 5. , 1 , 2 are the middle points of HP, HQ, HR. [24] 6. We have QR [O] and P Q, P R [2 ] which is the envelop of such lines. 7. 2 is the homothetical curve of , by an homothety of center H and ratio 2; it is an hypocyclo d tritangent to (O) at the points of Boutin.2 (See g (4)) QR.

Image of the circumcircle and preimage of the hypocyclo d of Steiner

Proposition 6 1. If the line t is the tangent at T to (O), then (t) is the point of contact of the simson line of T and . [21] Equivalently ([(O )]) = 2. More generally 1 ( ) = [(O )] [1 ] where 1 is an hypocyclo d. Commentaries: 1. If T (O) and t is the tangent at T to (O), then the orthopole (T ) is the contact point of the Simson-Wallace line T with the hypocyclo d . 2. 1 is the anticomplementary of , it is an hypocyclo d tritangent to (O) at the reexion in O of the points of Boutin of the triangle ABC .

Image of a pencil of lines

Let E be a point of the plane of the triangle ABC and [E ] be the pencil of lines by E . Proposition 7 If d varies in the pencil [E ], then the orthopole (d) describe an ellipse, the orthopolar ellipse of E .[14] ([E ]) = EE Commentaries: 1. The center of EE is the middle of the segment HE . 2. EE intersects the sides of ABC at the pedal triangle of E (orthopols of the lines of [E ] perpendicular to the sides of ABC ) and at the orthopols of the lines EA , EB , EC . 3. The axis of EE are parallel to the Simson-Wallace lines of the intersections of OE with (O) and the length of the axis are R OE , where R is the radius of (O).
2 The points of Boutin are the intersections, dierent from A, B, C , of the cubic of Mac Cay with (O), they form an equilateral triangle and are characterized by the property X OX . [1]

4. The orthopolar ellipse is tritangent to the hypocyclo d of Steiner. Indeed, EE cuts in eight points. By proposition (6), they are two kind of such points: (a) The orthopoles of the two lines of [E ] tangent to (O) give two real points if E is outside the circumcircle and two imaginary points if E is inside. If E (O), EE is degenerated: EE = 2 E . (b) The orthopoles Ti of the three lines of [E ] tangent to 1 gives the three tangential points of EE and . 5. The common tangents to EE and are the Simson-Wallace lines Pi of the common points P1 , P2 , P3 , dierent form A, B, C , to (O) and to the pivotal isogonal isocubic of pivot E .[11] The points of contact Ti are as well the orthopoles of the tangents to (O) at Pi . Moreover E, Pi , Pi are colinear, and EPi Pi . In [6], we can nd the following: The normal lines to at Ti concur to a point P such that 3 H E = 2 H P where H is the de Longchamps point, reexion of H in O. The axis of the inscribed parabolas of focii Pi concur to E .3 6. EE is a circle i E = O. [5] In this case EE = (N ) and the pivotal isocubic is the MacCay cubic and the common points are the points of Boutin. 7. EE intersects the Euler circle (N ) in four points. By proposition (5), they are two kind of such points: (a) One point is the orthopole of the line OE . (b) Three points are the orthopoles of the tangents from E to 2 . 8. If E is on 2 , the center of EE is on and EE is tangent to (N ).

Preimage of the orthopolar ellipse

Proposition 8 1 (EE ) = [E ] [2 (E )] where 2 (E ) is a curve of degree 4 and class 3, bitangent to the improper line.[15] Commentaries: 1. 2 (E ) is an hypocyclo d, i.e. bitangent at the improper line at the cyclic points, i E = O. Moreover 2 (O) = 2 . 2. 2 (E ) has one real ordinary focus, the inverse in (O) of E .[15] 3. 2 (E ) is tritangent to (O) at Pi .
3

For many more information, see [19].

4. The three lines EPi are common tangents to 1 and 2 (E ). 5. If E is not in (O), the two tangents to (O) from E are real. Let EQR = ET be one of this tangent, hence P Q = P R = P T and this line is tangent to 2 (E ) at P 2 (E ) (O) and 2 (E ) intersects (O) at 8 real points. See gure (6). Particular cases: E L : Let E QR and P Q, P R, QR be the three orthopolar lines of the point = (QR). If Q R si parallel to QR, then (Q R ) varies on the line P . Hence EE = L E 2 (E ) degenerates in the two isotrope lines of P . 2 (E ) = (P I )2 (P J )2 E (O): EE = (E )2 and 2 (E ) = (d1 )2 d2 d3 where d1,2,3 are three parallel lines. d1 is the line by E parallel to E and d2,3 are the lines tangent to (O) and parallel to E . E = O: The orthopolar ellipse of O is the Euler circle EE = (N ) and 2 (E ) = 2 is an hypocycloid, bitangent to the improper line at the cyclic points, tritangent to (O) at the points of Boutin. See prop (5) and gure (4). E = I : The orthopolar ellipse of I contains the point of Feuerbach of ABC , orthopol of IO and the points of contact of the incircle (I ) with ABC . See gure (5). 2 (E ) is tritangent to (O) at the intersections of the internal angle biscectors of ABC with (O), the tangents are parallels to the side of ABC . Its focus is X (36). E = H : The orthopolar ellipse of H contains the center of the hyperbel of Jerabek of ABC , orthopol of HO and the vertices of the orthic triangle of ABC . See gure (3). In [13], we can nd this result: Let a variable point X (O). The locus of the reection of the middle of OX in the Simson line X of X is an ellipse, rotation around N of 900 of EH . The focus of 2 (E ) is X (186).

References
[1] Mathesis 1911, page 163 or 1939, page 75. [2] M.R.Bouvaist. Nouvelles Annales Math ematiques. 1915, page 561. [3] M.R.Bouvaist. Sur lisopole. Mathesis 1927, page 214. [4] J.L. Coolidge. A treatise on algebra c curves. Oxford. 1931. [5] R. Deaux. Question 3474. Mathesis. (1950, page 234). [6] R. Deaux. Sur les ellipses tritangentes ` a lhypocyclo de de Steiner dun triangle. Mathesis. (1956, page 526). [7] H. Dur` ege. Die Ebenen Curven Dritter Ordung. Leipzig, 1871. [8] Jean-Pierre Ehrmann. Steiners Theorems on the complete quadrilateral. Forum Geometricum. Vol 4 (2004). [9] Personal communication of J.P.Ehrmann. [10] M.Fonten e. Nouvelles Annales Math ematiques. 1906, page 56. [11] B. Gibert. http://perso.wanadoo.fr/bernard.gibert (Isocubics). [12] R.Goormaghtigh et A.Sevrin . Mathesis 1923, page 279, Mathesis 1914, page 150. [13] R.Goormaghtigh. Sur des ellipses associ ees aux droites de Simson dun triangle. Mathesis 1956, page 397. [14] R.Goormaghtigh. Sur les ellipses orthopolaires et sur les elllipses tritangentes ` a une hypocyclo de ` a trois rebroussements. Mathesis 1957, page 44. [15] R.Godeau. Mathesis 1933, page 47. [16] C. Kimberling Encyclopedia of Triangle Center. http://www2.evansville.edu/ck6/encyclopedia/. [17] T.Lemoine. Nouvelles Annales Math ematiques. 1904, page 400. [18] J.Lemaire. Nouvelles Annales Math ematiques. 1913, page 52. [19] J.Lemaire. Hypocyclo des et Epicyclo des. Albert Blanchard. Paris 1967. [20] J.R.Musselmann. On the line of images. American Mathematical Monthly 1938, page 421. [21] Mathesis 1922 page 211, Neuberg MB. 1890. [22] Mademoiselle de Pr ehyr. Mathesis 1915, page 98. [23] G. Salmon. Trait e de g eom etrie analytique. Paris 1903, transl. of Higher Plane Curves, Dublin 1873. [24] V.Th ebault. Deux th eor` emes de Lemoine et Fonten e sur lorthop ole. Nouvelles Annales Math ematiques. 1918, page 294.

E E

Figure 3: Here E = H . The orthopolar ellipse EE is tritangent to the hypocyclo d of Steiner at Ti = (EPi ). The tangents are the Simson lines Pi . The points Pi are on the isocubic pK (I, E ) and on the circumcircle (O). They are also the points of tangency of 2 and (O). The lines EPi are common tangents to 1 and 2 .

E E

2 1

Figure 4: Here E = O. The orthopolar ellipse EE is the Euler circle, tritangent to the hypocyclo d of Steiner
at Ti = (EPi ). The tangents are the Simson lines Pi . The points Pi are on the cubic of Mac Cay and on the circumcircle (O). They are also the points of tangency of 2 and (O). The lines EPi are common tangents to the hypocyclo ds 1 and 2 .

E E

2 1

Figure 5: Here E = I . The orthopolar ellipse EE is the Euler circle, tritangent to the hypocyclo d of Steiner at Ti = (EPi ). The tangents are the Simson lines Pi . The points Pi are on the internal angle bisectors of ABC and on the circumcircle (O). They are also the points of tangency of 2 and (O). The lines EPi are common tangents to the hypocyclo ds 1 and 2 .

Figure 6: The curve 2 (E ) can cut the circumcircle at two more real points.