Geo Lecture 1: Inversion

Rohan Goyal
May 2020

§1 Inversion
I assume most of you are familiar with inversion but for the sake of completeness, I will
go over the basics quickly.
Definition (Inversion). Let ω be a circle with radius r and center O. Inversion Γω takes
−−→
any point P in the plane to a point P 0 on ray OP such that OP · OP 0 = r2 .

Lemma 1.1
Let the points A, B go to points A0 , B 0 after inversion. Then, ABB 0 A0 is cyclic
quadrilateral.

Proof. Direct, just Power of point.

Lemma 1.2 (Does it actually have a proper name?)

Things that happen to clines(generalized term for circles)-

1. Lines through O are fixed;

2. Lines not through O becomes circle through O;

3. Circles not through O stay circles not through O;

4. Circles through O become lines not through O;

Proof. Can be proved using simple angle chase and Power of Point so you can try on
your own

§1.1 Nice common Inversions

Fact 1.3 (Orthocenter Inversion) — In triangle ABC with orthocenter

√ H and feet
of altitudes from A, B, C as D, E, F . Inversion with radius AH · HD creates the
following nice maps A ↔ D, B ↔ E, C ↔ F and sends (ABC) to the nine point
circle of (ABC).

Proof. It is equivalent to showing AH · HD = BH · HE. But, we know ADBE is a

cyclic quadrilateral because ∠ADB = ∠BEA = 90.

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Rohan Goyal (May 2020) Geo Lecture 1: Inversion

Fact 1.4 (Incircle inversion) — In triangle ABC, let the incircle touchpoints be
D, E, F with respect to A, B, C. Then, D, E, F are fixed and A goes to midpoint of
EF , B goes to midpoint of DF and C to midpoint of DE and (ABC) goes to the
NPC of (DEF ).

Proof. We know IEAF is cyclic, thus inverse of A must lie on EF , but it also lies on
AI, thus A0 = AI ∩ EF which is just the midpoint of EF . The other things follow
immediately.

√
Fact
√ 1.5 ( bc inversion) — In triangle (ABC), with respect to A, invert with radius
AB · AC and reflect over the angle bisector of ∠BAC. Some nice facts-

1. B maps to B.

2. C maps to C

3. BC maps to (ABC).

4. I maps to IA

5. A-Excircle maps to A-mixtilinear circle.

6. Try to find more nice maps on your own :d

Proof. This inversion is quite interesting so try proving on your own and find nice
results.

Fact 1.6 (Orthogonal Inversion) — If circles ω, γ are orthogonal, then inverting with
respect to ω maps γ to γ.

Lemma 1.7 (Inversion Distance Formula)

Suppose you are inverting with respect to O with radius r. Then, if A, B map to
r2 ·AB
A∗ , B ∗ respectively then, A∗ B ∗ = OA·OB

All facts mentioned can be easily shown through power of point and basically basic
circle properties.

§1.2 Classic Examples

Example 1.8 (Shoemaker’s Knife)

Let A, B, C be three collinear points (in that order) and construct three semicircles
ωAC , ωAB , ω0 , on the same side of AC, with diameters AC, AB, BC, respectively.
For each positive integer k, let ωk be the circle tangent to ωAC and ωAB as well as
ωk−1 . Let n be a positive integer. Prove that the distance from the center of ωn to
AC is n times its diameter.

Proof. Diagrams thanks to Evan Chen.

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Rohan Goyal (May 2020) Geo Lecture 1: Inversion

A B C

Figure 1: The Shoemaker’s Knife.

We invert from A such that ωn remains fixed. Now, observe that as ωn remains fixed
ΓAB , ΓAC invert to lines perpendicular to AB but these lines must be tangent to ωn .
Thus, they invert as the lines in the diagram but then ωn−1 must invert to directly below
it and so on. Thus, we get ωi invert as in the diagram as well. Thus, distance of ωn from
AB is n times its diameter.
Γ∗AC Γ∗AB

A B C

Figure 2: Inverting with ω3 fixed (so n = 3). We invert around the dashed circle centered
at A, orthogonal to ω3 .

Example 1.9
Triangle ABC has incenter I and circumcenter O. The incircle of ABC touches BC,
CA, AB at points D, E, F. Show that the orthocenter of ∆DEF lies on line IO.

Proof. We will invert with respect to the incircle. Observe that the center of the inverse
of (ABC) will lie on the line OI as there is a homothety from I which sends (ABC) to
(A0 B 0 C 0 ). But, also observe that the center (A0 B 0 C 0 ) is the nine point center of (DEF )
so it must lie on line IH or the Euler line of (DEF ). Thus, we get that H, I, O are
collinear.

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Rohan Goyal (May 2020) Geo Lecture 1: Inversion

E
A0
F
H O0
I
C0
O
B0

B
D
C

Figure 3: We invert with respect to the Incircle

Example 1.10 (Ptolemy’s Inequality)

In a quadrilateral ABCD, AB · CD + AD · BC ≥ AC · BD with equality iff ABCD
is cyclic.

√
Proof. We invert with radius AB · AC · AD around A and then B, C, D map to
B 0 , C 0 , D0 . Then, we have by the inversion Distance formula. Thus, B 0 C 0 = BD ·
AD, D0 C 0 = CD·AB, B 0 D0 = BD·AC. Now, by triangle inequality, we get B 0 C 0 +C 0 D0 ≥
B 0 D0 with equality when B 0 , C 0 , D0 are collinear or A, B, C, D are cyclic.
A

D0
C

B0 C0

Figure 4: Inverting B,C,D from A

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Rohan Goyal (May 2020) Geo Lecture 1: Inversion

§1.3 Contest Practice

Problem 1.1 (Brazil 2009/5). Let ABC be a triangle and O its circumcenter. Lines AB
and AC meet the circumcircle of OBC again in B1 = 6 B and C1 6= C, respectively, lines
BA and BC meet the circumcircle of OAC again in A2 6= A and C2 6= C, respectively,
and lines CA and CB meet the circumcircle of OAB in A3 6= A and B3 6= B, respectively.
Prove that lines A2 A3 , B1 B3 and C1 C2 have a common point.

Problem 1.2 (Mixtilinear Stuff). Let ABC be a triangle and let T be the contact point
of the A-mixtilinear incircle.
(a) (IMO 1978) Point I lies on the contact chord of the A-mixtilinear incircle.
(b) (EGMO 2013/5) Line AT is isogonal to the A-Nagel cevian.
(c) (Iran 2002) Line TI passes through the midpoint of arc BAC.

Problem 1.3 (Iran TST 2012/2). Consider ω is circumcircle of an acute triangle ABC.
D is midpoint of arc BAC and I is incenter of triangle ABC. Let DI intersect BC in E
and ω for second time in F . Let P be a point on line AF such that P E is parallel to AI.
Prove that P E is bisector of angle BP C.

Problem 1.4 (USATST 2017/2). Let ABC be an acute scalene triangle with circum-
center O, and let T be on line BC such that ∠T AO = 90◦ . The circle with diameter AT
intersects the circumcircle of 4BOC at two points A1 and A2 , where OA1 < OA2 . Points
B1 , B2 , C1 , C2 are defined analogously. Prove that AA1 , BB1 , CC1 are concurrent.
Prove that AA2 , BB2 , CC2 are concurrent on the Euler line of triangle ABC.

Problem 1.5 (ELMO 2018/3). Let A be a point in the plane, and ` a line not passing
through A. Evan does not have a straightedge, but instead has a special compass which
has the ability to draw a circle through three distinct noncollinear points. (The center of
the circle is not marked in this process.) Additionally, Evan can mark the intersections
between two objects drawn, and can mark an arbitrary point on a given object or on the
plane.
(i) Can Evan construct* the reflection of A over `?
(ii) Can Evan construct the foot of the altitude from A to `?
*To construct a point, Evan must have an algorithm which marks the point in finitely
many steps.

Problem 1.6 (IMO 2015/3). Let ABC be an acute triangle with AB > AC. Let Γ be
its circumcircle, H its orthocenter, and F the foot of the altitude from A. Let M be
the midpoint of BC. Let Q be the point on Γ such that ∠HQA = 90◦ and let K be the
point on Γ such that ∠HKQ = 90◦ . Assume that the points A, B, C, K and Q are all
different and lie on Γ in this order. Prove that the circumcircles of triangles KQH and
F KM are tangent to each other.