Show that the triangle ABC is a right angle triangle.

Atti0626

New member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
20
Draw the tangents to the inscribed circle of triangle ABC that are parallel to the sides of ABC. These lines cut of 3 smaller triangles. The radii of the inscribed circles of the new triangles are 2, 3 and 10. Show that the triangle ABC is right-angled.

One thing I noticed that if we add up the radii in pairs we get 5, 12 and 13, which are the sides of a right angle triangle. Now look at the sides of the ABC triangle. If we could show that the segment from a vertex to the point where the inscribed circle of ABC touches the side is proportional to the smaller inscribed circle's radius, we would have an ABC triangle with sides 5x, 12x and 13x, which is a right angle triangle, and that is what we wanted to show. So what we need to show to complete the proof is that if we have a point and a circle, the tangent segments' length are proportional to the inscribed circle of the bigger circle and the two tangent lines.
EDIT: We also need to show that the inscribed circle touches the parallel lines at the same point as the smaller inscribed circles do, so that that the circles actually touch eachother.
 
Last edited:
Draw the tangents to the inscribed circle of triangle ABC that are parallel to the sides of ABC. These lines cut of 3 smaller triangles. The radii of the inscribed circles of the new triangles are 2, 3 and 10. Show that the triangle ABC is right-angled.

One thing I noticed that if we add up the radii in pairs we get 5, 12 and 13, which are the sides of a right angle triangle. Now look at the sides of the ABC triangle. If we could show that the segment from a vertex to the point where the inscribed circle of ABC touches the side is proportional to the smaller inscribed circle's radius, we would have an ABC triangle with sides 5x, 12x and 13x, which is a right angle triangle, and that is what we wanted to show. So what we need to show to complete the proof is that if we have a point and a circle, the tangent segments' length are proportional to the inscribed circle of the bigger circle and the two tangent lines.
EDIT: We also need to show that the inscribed circle touches the parallel lines at the same point as the smaller inscribed circles do, so that that the circles actually touch eachother.
Your problem states:

"Draw the tangents to the inscribed circle of triangle ABC that are parallel to the sides of ABC....."

Do you have drawing (picture/figure) that goes with this problem?
 
I constructed it in GeoGebra, here is a link to it. I can now see that the inscribed circles don't touch, but I did calculate the ratio of the of the mentioned line segments, and they really seem to be proportional to the radii of the smaller inscribed circles.
 
Your problem states:

"Draw the tangents to the inscribed circle of triangle ABC that are parallel to the sides of ABC....."

Do you have drawing (picture/figure) that goes with this problem?
I have noticed that you are getting picky these days. You want to see the diagram associated with a problem??!! Are you feeling OK?
 
What have you tried? Exactly where are you stuck? Can you will in any additional information on your diagram? In order to receive help on this forum you need to show some work so the helpers here know what you need help with. Thanks and please post back.
 
I have noticed that you are getting picky these days. You want to see the diagram associated with a problem??!! Are you feeling OK?
That's what engineers do.... specially the retired ones.....
 
What have you tried? Exactly where are you stuck? Can you will in any additional information on your diagram? In order to receive help on this forum you need to show some work so the helpers here know what you need help with. Thanks and please post back.
Thanks for your reply.
I thought I showed my work, I only need to prove now that the radii of the smaller inscribed circles are proportional to the tangents length from the vertex. The only information the diagram doesn't have is that the radii of the smaller inscribed circles are 2, 3 and 10.
 
Top