b

Forum Geometricorum
Volume 9 (2009) 47–55. b b

FORUM GEOM
ISSN 1534-1178

The Feuerbach Point and Reflections of the Euler Line

Jan Vonk

Abstract. We investigate some results related to the Feuerbach point, and use a
theorem of Hatzipolakis to give synthetic proofs of the facts that the reflections of
OI in the sidelines of the intouch and medial triangle all concur at the Feuerbach
point. Finally we give some results on certain reflections of the Feuerbach point.

1. Poncelet point
We begin with a review of the Poncelet point of a quadruple of points W , X, Y ,
Z. This is the point of concurrency of
(i) the nine-point circles of triangles W XY , W XZ, XY Z, W Y Z,
(ii) the four pedal circles of W , X, Y , Z with respect to XY Z, W Y Z, W XZ,
W XY respectively.

X X

W W

Y Z Y Z

Nine-point circles Pedal circles

Figure 1.

Basic properties of the Poncelet point can be found in [4]. Let I be the incenter
of triangle ABC. The Poncelet point of I, A, B, C is the famous Feuerbach point
Fe , as we show in Theorem 1 below. In fact, we can find a lot more circles passing
through Fe , using the properties mentioned in [4].
Theorem 1. The nine-point circles of triangles AIB, AIC, BIC are concurrent
at the Feuerbach point Fe of triangle ABC.

Publication Date: March 30, 2009. Communicating Editor: A. P. Hatzipolakis.

The author would like to thank Paul Yiu for his help in the preparation of this paper.
48 J. Vonk
A

Fe
F E

B D C

Figure 2.

Proof. The Poncelet point of A, B, C, I must lie on the pedal circle of I with re-
spect to triangle ABC, and on the nine-point circle of triangle ABC (see Figure
1). Since these two circles have only the Feuerbach point Fe in common, it must
be the Poncelet point of A, B, C, I. 
A second theorem, conjectured by Antreas Hatzipolakis, involves three curious
triangles which turn out to have some very surprising and beautiful properties. We
begin with an important lemma, appearing in [9] as Lemma 2 with a synthetic
proof. The midpoints of BC, AC, AB are labeled D, E, F .

Fe Cb
Y

F E
Ac Bc Ab
Z I

Ba

B X D C

Ca

Figure 3.

We shall adopt the notations of [9]. Given a triangle ABC, let D, E, F be the
midpoints of the sides BC, CA, AB, and X, Y , Z the points of tangency of the
The Feuerbach point and reflections of the Euler line 49

incircle with these sides. Let Ab and Ac be the orthogonal projections of A on the
bisectors BI and CI respectively. Similarly define Bc , Ba , Ca , Cb (see Figure 3).
Lemma 2. (a) Ab and Ac lie on EF .
(b) Ab lies on XY , Ac lies on XZ.
Similar statements are true for Ba , Bc and Ca , Cb .
We are now ready for the second theorem, stated in [6]. An elementary proof
was given by Khoa Lu Nguyen in [7]. We give a different proof, relying on the
Kariya theorem (see [5]), which states that if X ′ , Y ′ , Z ′ are three points on IX,
′ IY ′ IZ ′
IY , IZ with IX ′ ′ ′
IX = IY = IZ = k, then the lines AX , BY , CZ are concurrent.
For k = −2, this point of concurrency is known to be X80 , the reflection of I in
Fe .

Fe Cb
Y

Ac F Ab E
Bc
Z I

Ba

B X D C

Ca

Figure 4.

Theorem 3 (Hatzipolakis). The Euler lines of triangles AAb Ac , BBa Bc , CCa Cb

are concurrent at Fe (see Figure 4).

Proof. If X ′ is the antipode of X in the incircle, Oa the midpoint of A and I, Ha

the orthocenter of triangle AAb Ac , then clearly Ha Oa is the Euler line of triangle
AAb Ac . Also, ∠Ab AAc = π − ∠Ac IAb = B+C 2 . Because AI is a diameter
of the circumcircle of triangle AAb Ac , it follows that AHa = AI · cos B+C 2 =
AI · sin A2 = r, where r is the inradius of triangle ABC. Clearly, IX ′ = r, and
it follows from Lemma 1 that AHa k IX ′ . Triangles AHa Oa and IX ′ Oa are
congruent, and X ′ is the reflection of Ha in Oa . Hence X ′ lies on the Euler line of
triangle AAb Ac .
50 J. Vonk

X∗
X80 A

Fe
X′
Oa Y
Ha

Ac Ab E
F
Z
I

B X D C

Figure 5.

If X ∗ is the reflection of I in X ′ , we know by the Kariya theorem that A, X ∗ ,

and X80 are collinear. Now the homothety h(I, 21 ) takes A to Oa , X ∗ to X ′ , and
X80 to the Feuerbach point Fe . 
We establish one more theorem on the Feuerbach point. An equivalent formula-
tion was posed as a problem in [10].
Theorem 4. If X ′′ , Y ′′ , Z ′′ are the reflections of X, Y , Z in AI, BI, CI, then the
lines DX ′′ , EY ′′ , F Z ′′ concur at the Feuerbach point Fe (see Figure 6).
A

Fe

Y
′′
F Z E
Y ′′
Z
I
N

X ′′

B X D C

Figure 6.
The Feuerbach point and reflections of the Euler line 51

Proof. We show that the line DX ′′ contains the Feuerbach point Fe . The same
reasoning will apply to EY ′′ and F Z ′′ as well.
Clearly, X ′′ lies on the incircle. If we call N the nine-point center of triangle
ABC, then the theorem will follow from IX ′′ k N D since Fe is the external
center of similitude of the incircle and nine-point circle of triangle ABC. Now,
because IX k AH, and because O and H are isogonal conjugates, IX ′′ k AO.
Furthermore, the homothety h(G, −2) takes D to A and N to O. This proves that
N D k AO. It follows that IX ′′ k N D. 

2. The Euler reflection point

The following theorem was stated by Paul Yiu in [11], and proved by barycentric
calculation in [8]. We give a synthetic proof of this result.
Theorem 5. The reflections of OI in the sidelines of the intouch triangle DEF
are concurrent at the Feuerbach point of triangle ABC (see Figure 7).

B ′′

Oa

I1 F Y
e
C ′′ S
F E
O
Z I

Ba

B X D C

Ca

A′′

Figure 7.

Proof. Let us call I1 the reflection of I in Y Z. By Theorem 1, the nine-point circle

of triangle AIC, which clearly passes through Y , Oa , Ca , also passes through
Fe . If S is the intersection of Y Z and AI, then clearly A is the inverse of S with
respect to the incircle. Because 2 · IOa = IA and 2 · IS = II1 , it follows that Oa
is the inverse of I1 with respect to the incircle. Because Ca lies on XZ, its polar
line must pass through B and be perpendicular to AI. This shows that Ba is the
inverse of Ca with respect to the incircle.
Now invert the nine-point circle of triangle AIC with respect to the incircle of
triangle ABC. This circle can never pass through I since ∠AIC > π2 , so the
52 J. Vonk

image is a circle. This shows that Y I1 Fe Ba is a cyclic quadrilateral, so it follows

that ∠Fe I1 Ba = ∠Fe Y X = ∠Fe X ′ X.
If we call A′′ B ′′ C ′′ the circumcevian triangle of I, then we notice that ∠AAb Ac =
∠AIAc = ∠A′′ IC. Now, it is well known that A′′ C = A′′ I, so it follows that
∠AAb Ac = ∠ICA′′ = ∠C ′′ B ′′ A′′ . Similar arguments show that triangle AAb Ac
and triangle A′′ B ′′ C ′′ are inversely similar.
As we have pointed out before as a consequence of Lemma 2, AHa and IX ′
are parallel. By Theorem 3, Fe X ′ is the Euler line of triangle AAb Ac . Therefor,
∠Fe X ′ X = ∠Oa X ′ X = ∠Oa Ha A. We know that triangle AAb Ac is inversely
similar to triangle A′′ B ′′ C ′′ . Since O and I are the circumcenter and orthocenter
of triangle A′′ B ′′ C ′′ , it follows that ∠Oa Ha A = ∠A′′ IO = ∠OIA.
We conclude that ∠Fe I1 S = ∠Fe I1 Ba = ∠Fe Y X = ∠Fe X ′ X = ∠AIO =
∠SIO. This shows that the reflection of OI in EF passes through Fe . Similar
arguments for the reflections of OI in XY and XZ complete the proof. 
A very similar result is stated in the following theorem. We give a synthetic
proof, similar to the proof of the last theorem in many ways. First, we will need
another lemma.
Lemma 6. The vertices of the polar triangle of DEF with respect to the incir-
cle are the orthocenters of triangles BIC, AIC, AIB. Furthermore, they are the
reflections of the excenters in the respective midpoints of the sides.
This triangle is the main subject of [9], in which a synthetic proof can be found.
Theorem 7. The reflections of OI in the sidelines of the medial triangle DEF are
concurrent at the Feuerbach point of triangle ABC (see Figure 8).

A
A∗

I2

Fe Y
M
F E
O
Z I
Γa
N
Γ′a

B X D C

Figure 8.
The Feuerbach point and reflections of the Euler line 53

Proof. Call I2 the reflection of I in EF , and A∗ the orthocenter of triangle BIC.

The midpoint of I and A∗ is called M . Using Lemma 6, we know that EF is the
polar line of A∗ with respect to the incircle. A similar argument as the one we gave
in the proof of Theorem 5 shows that I2 is the inverse of M with respect to the
incircle.
Clearly, Fe , M , X, D all lie on the nine-point circle of triangle BIC. Call this
circle Γa and call Γ′a the circumcircle of triangle IXX ′′ . Clearly, the center of
Γ′a is on AI. Because I is the orthocenter of triangle BA∗ C, we have that the
reflection of I in D is the antipode of A∗ in the circumcircle of A∗ BC. Call this
point L′ . Consider the homothety h(I, 2), M D is mapped, and hence is parallel, to
A∗ L′ . We know that A∗ is the reflection in D of the A-excenter of triangle ABC
(see [9]), so A∗ L′ is also parallel to AI. It follows that AI and M D are parallel.
If we call T the intersection of AI and BC, then it is clear that T lies on Γ′a .
Because IT and M D are parallel diameters of two circles, there exists a homothety
centered at X which maps Γ′a to Γa . Because X lies on both circles, we now
conclude that X is the point of tangency of Γa and Γ′a . Inverting these two circles
in the incircle, we see that XX ′′ is tangent to the circumcircle of XFe I2 .
Finally, ∠M IO = ∠AIO + ∠M IA = ∠Fe X ′ X + ∠IM D = ∠Fe XD +
∠XFe D = ∠Fe XD+∠DXX ′′ = ∠Fe XX ′′ = ∠Fe I2 X, where the last equation
follows from the alternate segment theorem. This proves that I2 Fe is the reflection
of OI in EF . Similar arguments for DF and DE prove the theorem. 
The following theorem gives new evidence for the strong correlation between
the nature of the Feuerbach point and the Euler reflection point.
Theorem 8. The three reflections of Ha Oa in the sidelines of triangle AAb Ac and
the line OI are concurrent at the reflection Ea of Fe in Ab Ac . Similar theorems
hold for triangles BBa Bc , CCa Cb (see Figure 9).

Proof. The 3 reflections of Ha Oa in the sidelines of triangle AAb Ac are concurrent

at the Euler reflection point of triangle AAb Ac . We will first show that this point is
the reflection of Fe in Ab Ac .
The circle with diameter XHa clearly passes through Ab , Ac by definition of
Ab , Ac . It also passes through Fe , since Ha Fe = X ′ Fe ⊥ XFe , so we conclude
that Fe , Ac , X, Ab are concyclic. Because AAc XAb is a parallellogram, we see
that the reflection in the midpoint of Ab and Ac of the circle through Ab , Ac , X,
Fe is in fact the circumcircle of triangle AAb Ac . We deduce that the reflection of
Fe in Ab Ac lies on the circumcircle of triangle AAb Ac . Since Fe 6= Ha lies on the
Euler line of triangle AAb Ac and Ea lies on the circumcircle of triangle AAb Ac ,
we have proven that the reflection of Fe in Ab Ac is the Euler reflection point of
triangle AAb Ac .
By theorem 7, it immediately follows that Ea lies on OI. This completes the
proof. 
We know that we can see Ea as an intersection point of the perpendicular to
Ab Ac through Fe with the circumcircle of triangle AAb Ac . This line intersects the
54 J. Vonk

Ha Oa

Fe Y

Ac E
F Ab
Z I Ea

B X D C

Figure 9.

circle in another point, which we will call U . Similarly define V and W on the
circumcircles of triangles BBa Bc and CCa Cb .
Theorem 9. The lines AU , BV , CW are concurrent at X80 , the reflection of I in
Fe (see Figure 10).

Proof. The previous theorem tells us that Ea lies on OI. It follows that ∠Ea IOa =
∠OIA. In the proof of Theorem 5, we prove that ∠AIO = ∠AHa Oa . Since Fe Ea
and AHa are parallel, we deduce that Ea , I, Oa and Fe are concyclic. If we call
U ′ the intersection of Ea Fe and the line through A parallel to Oa Fe , then we have
that ∠Ea IA = ∠Ea Fe Oa = ∠Ea U ′ A. It follows that A, U ′ , Ea , I are concyclic,
so U ≡ U ′ .
Now consider a homothety centered at I with factor 2. Clearly, Oa Fe is mapped
to a parallel line through A, which is shown to pass through U . The image of
Fe however is X80 , so AU passes through X80 . Similar arguments for BV, CW
complete the proof. 

References
[1] J.-L. Ayme, Two similar triangles, Mathlinks,
http://www.mathlinks.ro/viewtopic.php?t=219830.
[2] J.-L. Ayme, Again with the Feuerbach’s point, Mathlinks,
http://www.mathlinks.ro/viewtopic.php?t=220032.
[3] D. Grinberg, Hyacinthos message 10500, September 20, 2004.
[4] D. Grinberg, Poncelet points and antigonal conjugates, Mathlinks,
http://www.mathlinks.ro/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=109112.
The Feuerbach point and reflections of the Euler line 55

A U
X80

Fe Oa Ca

W
Ac Bc Ab
V
I
O
Ea

Ob Ba Oc

B C

Cb

Figure 10.

[5] D. Grinberg, Hyacinthos message 10504, September 20, 2004.

[6] A. P. Hatzipolakis, Hyacinthos message 10485, September 18, 2004.
[7] K. L. Nguyen, Hyacinthos message 10913, November 28, 2004.
[8] B. Suceava and P. Yiu, the Feuerbach point and Euler lines, Forum Geom., 6 (2006), 191–197.
[9] J. Vonk, On the Nagel line and a prolific polar triangle, Forum Geom., 8 (2008) 183–197.
[10] J. Vonk, Problem O70, Mathematical Reflections, 6/2007.
[11] P. Yiu, Hyacinthos message 11652, October 18, 2005.

Jan Vonk: Groenstraat 70, 9340 Lede, Belgium

E-mail address: [email protected]