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ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM

Nicu Sor Minculete, C

At

Alin Barbu, Gheorghe Szll

Osy
Dedicated to the memory of the great professor,
Laurentiu Panaitopol
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present three interesting new proofs of the
Japanese Theorem and several applications.
Key words and phrases: cyclic quadrilateral, Japanese Theorem
2010 Mathematics Subject Classication: 26D05; 26D15; 51M04.
1. Introduction
A cyclic quadrilateral or inscribed quadrilateral is a quadrilateral whose vertices all lie on
a single circle. Given a cyclic quadrilateral 1C1, denote by O the circumcenter, 1 the
circumradius, and a, /, c, d, c, and ) are the lengths of the segments 1, 1C, C1, 1, C
and 11 respectively. Analyzing the various relations for a cyclic quadrilateral 1C1,
we remarked that among the most popular metric relations are Ptolemys Theorems ([4]):
c) = ac +/d (1)
and
c
)
=
ad +/c
a/ +cd
. (2)
Another interesting relation in the cyclic quadrilateral is given by the Japanese The-
orem ([4]). This relation establishes the connection between the radii of the incircles of
the triangles 1C1, C1, 11 and 1C, denoted by r
a
, r
b
, r
c
, and r
d
respectively, in
the following way:
r
a
+r
c
= r
b
+r
d
. (3)
In [8], W. Reyes gave a proof of the Japanese Theorem using a result due to the French
geometer Victor Thbault. Reyes mentioned that a very long proof of this theorem can be
found in [3]. In [9], P. Yiu found a simple proof of Japanese Theorem. In [5], D. Mihalca, I.
Chitescu and M. Chirit a demonstrated (3) using the identity cos +cos 1+cos C = 1+
r
R
,
which is true in any triangle 1C, where r is the inradius of 1C, and in [7], M. E.
Panaitopol and L. Panaitopol show that r
a
+r
c
= 1(cos r+cos j+cos .+cos n2) = r
b
+r
d
,
where :(
_
1) = 2r, :(
_
1C) = 2j, :(
_
C1) = 2. and :(
_
1) = 2n. In this paper, we will
give three new proofs.
2. MAIN RESULTS
Lemma 1. If 1C1 is a cyclic quadrilateral, then
e
f
=
(a+b+e)(c+d+e)
(b+c+f)(a+d+f)
.
1
ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM 2
Proof. Using relation (2), we deduce the equality a/c +cdc = ad) +/c). Adding the
same terms in both parts of this equality, we have a/c + cdc + c
2
) + ac) + dc) + /c) +
cc) +c)
2
= ad) +/c) +c)
2
+ac) +dc) +/c) +cc) +c
2
). But, from equation (1), we
have c
2
) = c(ac+/d) = acc+/dc and c)
2
= )(ac+/d) = ac) +/d). Therefore, we obtain
a/c+cdc+acc+/dc+ac)+dc)+/c)+cc)+c)
2
= ad)+/c)+ac)+/d)+ac)+dc)+/c)+cc)+c
2
),
which means that c(/ +c +))(a+d+)) = )(a+/ +c)(c +d+c), and the Lemma follows.

In the following we give a property of a cyclic quadrilateral which we use in proving


of Japanese Theorem.
Theorem 2. In any cyclic quadrilateral there is the following relation:
r
a
r
c
c = r
b
r
d
) (4)
Proof. For triangles 1C1 and 11, we write the equations
r
a
=
/ +c )
2
tan
C
2
, r
c
=
a +d )
2
tan

2
.
But tan
A
2
tan
C
2
= 1, because + C = . Therefore, we obtain 4r
a
r
c
= a/ + cd + ac +
/d)(a+/ +c +d) +)
2
, so from (1), we deduce 4r
a
r
c
= a/ +cd+)(c +) a/ c d).
Multiplying by c, we obtain
4r
a
r
c
c = c(a/ +cd) +c)(c +) a / c d). (5)
Similarly, we deduce that
4r
b
r
d
) = )(ad +/c) +c)(c +) a / c d). (6)
Combining (2), (5) and (6) we obtain (4).
G. Szllosy ([6]) proposed Equation (7) below for a cyclic quadrilaterals. We give two
new proofs for this relation.
Theorem 3. In a cyclic quadrilateral, the identity
a/c
a +/ +c
+
cdc
c +d +c
=
/c)
/ +c +)
+
ad)
a +d +)
, (7)
holds.
Proof I. Let :(
_
1) = 2r, :(
_
1C) = 2j, :(
_
C1) = 2. and :(
_
1) = 2t. Then
r+j+. +t = . It is easy to see that a = 21sinr, / = 21sinj, c = 21sin., d = 21sint,
c = 21sin(r +j) = 21sin(. +t), ) = 21sin(r +t) = 21sin(j +.). Equation 7 becomes
a trigonometric identity which follows from the fact that
sincsin, sin(c +,)
sinc + sin, + sin(c +,)
= 2 sin
c
2
sin
,
2
cos
c +,
2
=

cos
c ,
2
cos
c +,
2

cos
c +,
2
,
for any c, , 2 R, with sinc + sin, + sin(c +,) 6= 0.
ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM 3
Proof II. From Lemma 1, we have
c
(a +/ +c)(c +d +c)
=
)
(/ +c +))(a +d +))
. (8)
From (2), a/c +cdc = ad) +/c), we obtain
a/(c +d +c) +cd(a +/ +c) = /c(a +d +)) +ad(/ +c +)). (9)
Combining (8) and (9), we deduce
a/c(c +d +c) +cdc(a +/ +c)
(a +/ +c)(c +d +c)
=
/c)(a +d +)) +ad)(/ +c +))
(/ +c +))(a +d +))
.
Consequently, we obtain (7).
Next, we present three interesting new proofs of the Japanese Theorem.
Theorem 4. (The Japanese Theorem) Let 1C1 be a convex quadrilateral inscribed
in a circle. Denote by r
a
, r
b
, r
c
, and r
d
the inradius of the triangles 1C1, C1, 11,
and 1C respectively. Then r
a
+r
c
= r
b
+r
d
.
Proof I. For any triangle 1C, we have the relation r =
abc
2R(a+b+c)
, where 1 is the
circumradius and r is the inradius of triangle 1C. Using this expression in triangles
1C1 and 11, we obtain the equality
r
a
+r
c
= r
a
r
c

1
r
a
+
1
r
c

=
r
a
r
c
)

)
r
a
+
)
r
c

=
r
a
r
c
)

21
a/cd
[a/c +a/d +acd +/cd +)(ad +/c)]. (10)
Similarly, for triangles C1 and 1C, we deduce
r
b
+r
d
=
r
b
r
d
c

21
a/cd
[a/c +a/d +acd +/cd +c(a/ +cd)]. (11)
From Equation (2), c(a/ +cd) = )(ad +/c). Combining this with Equations (4), (10) and
(11), we obtain (3).
Proof II. It is easy to see that r
a
=
bcf
2R(b+c+f)
, r
b
=
cde
2R(c+d+e)
, r
c
=
adf
2R(a+d+f)
and
r
d
=
abe
2R(a+b+e)
. From (7), we deduce (3).
Proof III. In the cyclic quadrilateral 1C1 we let 1
a
; 1
b
; 1
c
, and 1
d
denote the
incenters of triangles 1C1; 1C; 11, and 1C respectively (see Figure 1).
ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM 4
It is easy to see [5, 6] that the quadrilateral 1
a
1
b
1
c
1
d
is a rectangle. Let ' be a
point so that 1
a
1
c
\ 1
b
1
d
= f'g, so ' is the midpoint of the sides 1
a
1
c
and 1
b
1
d
. The
following theorem has been attributed to Apollonius: In any triangle, the sum of the
squares on any two sides is equal to twice the square on half the third side together with
twice the square on the median which bisects the third side. We apply the Apollonius
Theorem in the triangles 1
a
O1
c
and 1
b
O1
d
, where O is the circumcenter of the cyclic
quadrilateral 1C1, and we obtain the relations 4O'
2
= 2(O1
2
a
+ O1
2
c
) 1
a
1
2
c
and
4O'
2
= 2(O1
2
b
+ O1
2
d
) 1
b
1
2
d
. From the above equations and because 1
a
1
c
= 1
b
1
d
, we
deduce
O1
2
a
+O1
2
c
= O1
2
b
+O1
2
d
(12)
The famous formula for the distance d between the circumcentre (O) and incentre (1) of a
triangle is called Eulers relation, and it is given by d
2
= 1
2
21r, where 1 and r denote
the circumradius and inradius respectively. For the standard geometric proof to this
relation we refer to the book of H.S.M. Coxeter and S.L. Greitzer, [2]. For a proof by using
complex numbers we mention the book of T.Andreescu and D.Andrica [1]. In our case,
the triangles 1C, 1C1, C1, 11 have the same circumcircle. In these triangles we
apply Eulers relation. Hence, (12) becomes 1
2
21r
a
+1
2
21r
c
= 1
2
21r
b
+1
2
21r
d
,
so, we deduce (3).
3. APPLICATIONS
If for a triangle 1C the points
0
, 1
0
, and C
0
are the points of contact between the
sides 1C, C, and 1 and the three excircles, respectively, then the segments
0
, 11
0
,
and CC
0
meet at one point, which is called Nagel point. Denote by O the circumcenter,
1 the incenter, the Nagel point, 1 the circumradius, and r the inradius of 1C. An
important distance is O and it is given by
O = 1 2r. (13)
Equation (13) gives the geometric dierence between the quantities involved in Eulers
inequality 1 2r. A proof using complex numbers is given in the book of T. Andreescu
and D. Andrica [1].
ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM 5
Application 1. Let 1C1 be a convex quadrilateral inscribed in a circle with the
center O. Denote by
a
,
b
,
c
,
d
the Nagel points of the triangles 1C1, C1, 11,
and 1C, respectively. Then the relation O
a
+O
c
= O
b
+O
d
holds.
Proof. From the Japanese Theorem, we have r
a
+r
c
= r
b
+r
d
. Therefore we obtain
1 2r
a
+1 2r
c
= 1 2r
b
+1 2r
d
. From (13), the equation of statement is true.
Application 2. Let 1C1 be a convex quadrilateral inscribed in a circle with center
O. Denote by 1
a
, 1
b
, 1
c
, 1
d
the excenters of the triangles 1C1, C1, 11, and 1C,
respectively, by r
Ea
, r
E
b
, r
Ec
, r
E
d
the inradius of the incircles of the triangles 1
b
1
c
1
d
,
1
a
1
c
1
d
, 1
b
1
d
1
a
, 1
a
1
b
1
c
, respectively. Then, the following relation is true:
r
Ea
+r
Ec
= r
E
b
+r
E
d
. (14)
Proof. It easy to see that (see Figure 1) the quadrilateral 1
a
1
b
1
c
1
d
is cyclic. Now,
from the Japanese Theorem we obtain (14).
Application 3. In any cyclic quadrilateral there are the following relations: )

1
ra
+
1
rc

=
c

1
r
b
+
1
r
d

and c(r
2
a
+r
2
c
) = )(r
2
b
+r
2
d
).
Acknowledgements. We would like to thank the anonymous reviewer for providing
valuable comments to improve the manuscript.
References
[1] T. Andreescu and D. Andrica, Complex Numbers from A to .. Z, Birkhauser, Boston-
Basel-Berlin, 2006.
[2] H.S.M. Coxeter and S.L. Greitzer, Geometry Revisited, The Mathematical Association
of America, New Mathematical Library, 1967.
[3] H. Fukagawa and D. Pedoe, Japanese Temple Geometry, Charles Babbage Research
Centre, Manitoba, Canada, 1989.
[4] R.A. Johnson, Advanced Euclidean Geometry, Dover Publications, New York, 1960.
[5] D. Mihalca,I. Chitescu and M. Chirit a, Geometria patrulaterului, Editura Teora, Bu-
curesti, 1998 (in Romanian).
[6] O.T. Pop, N. Minculete and M. Bencze, An introduction to quadrilateral geometry
(preprint).
[7] M.E. Panaitopol and L. Panaitopol, Probleme de geometrie rezolvate trigonometric,
Editura GIL, Zal au, 1994 (in Romanian).
[8] W. Reyes, An Application of Thbaults Theorem, Forum Geometricorum, 2 (2002)
183-185.
[9] P. Yiu, Euclidean Geometry, Florida Atlantic University Lecture Notes, Florida, 1998.
ABOUT THE JAPANESE THEOREM 6
Dimitrie Cantemir University of Brasov, Str. Bisericii Romane, nr. 107, Brasov,
Romania
e-mail: minculeten@yahoo.com
Vasile Alecsandri National College, Str. Vasile Alecsandri, 37, Bacau, Romania
e-mail: kafka_mate@yahoo.com
Str. Avram Iancu 28E, 435500, Sighetu Marma tiei, Maramure s, Romania
e-mail: gyuri66@yahoo.com

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