Triangle Centres Formula Sheet
1. Incentre (I)
Coordinates:
ax1 + bx2 + cx3 ay1 + by2 + cy3
I= ,
a+b+c a+b+c
Where:
p
a = Length of BC = (x2 − x3 )2 + (y2 − y3 )2
b = Length of CA
c = Length of AB
2. Circumcentre (O)
Coordinate Formula (using angles):
x1 sin 2A + x2 sin 2B + x3 sin 2C y1 sin 2A + y2 sin 2B + y3 sin 2C
O= ,
sin 2A + sin 2B + sin 2C sin 2A + sin 2B + sin 2C
Geometric Method (Perpendicular Bisectors):
1. Find midpoints of two sides (say AB and AC).
2. Find slopes of AB and AC.
3. Determine perpendicular slopes (negative reciprocals).
4. Write equations of perpendicular bisectors.
5. Solve them to get the circumcentre.
Special Case: For a right-angled triangle, the circumcentre lies at the midpoint of the
hypotenuse.
1
3. Orthocentre (H)
Trig-based Formula:
x1 tan A + x2 tan B + x3 tan C y1 tan A + y2 tan B + y3 tan C
H= ,
tan A + tan B + tan C tan A + tan B + tan C
Geometric Method:
1. Find slopes of any two sides.
2. Compute slopes of altitudes (negative reciprocals).
3. Use point-slope form to get equations of altitudes.
4. Solve them to find the orthocentre.
Special Case: In a right-angled triangle, the orthocentre is the vertex at the right angle.
4. Extra Formulas
p a+b+c
Area (∆) = s(s − a)(s − b)(s − c), where s =
2
2∆
Inradius (r) =
a+b+c
abc
Circumradius (R) =
4∆
5. Special/Incomplete Cases
• If only two vertices are known, the centres cannot be determined.
• Use triangle properties (e.g. symmetry in isosceles triangles) where applicable.
• If a vertex lies on an axis or origin, simplify equations accordingly.