The Lamoen circle Darij Grinberg Let ABC be an arbitrary triangle, M a , M b , M c the midpoints of its sides BC, CA,

AB, and S its centroid, i. e. the intersection of the lines AM a , BM b and CM c (Fig. 1). We get six triangles: AM b S, CM b S, CM a S, BM a S, BM c S and AM c S. These triangles have some interesting properties. At first, their areas are equal. The area of each one of these triangles will be denoted by k.

Mc S A Mb

Ma

Fig. 1 Another interesting property, which turned out to be a theorem of Floor van Lamoen, is that the circumcenters of these six triangles are concyclic (Fig. 2). More precisely: Theorem 1: Let A b , C b , C a , B a , B c , A c be the circumcenters of triangles AM b S, CM b S, CM a S, BM a S, BM c S, AM c S. Then, A b , C b , C a , B a , B c , A c lie on one circle (Fig. 2).

Mc

Ba Bc Ma Ac S Ca Mb C

Cb

Ab

Fig. 2 After his discoverer, I call this circle the Lamoen circle of ABC. Here is a half-synthetical proof of Theorem 1 (Fig. 3). Regard the circumcenters B a and

B c ; they both lie on the perpendicular bisector of the segment BS. Hence, B a B c BS. On the other hand, the circumcenters A b and C b both lie on the perpendicular bisector of the segment SM b , hence, A b C b SM b . For BS and SM b are the same line, we have B a B c 5 A b C b . Analogously, we show that A c A b 5 C a B a and C b C a 5 B c A c . Therefore, the opposite sides of the hexagon A b A c B c B a C a C b are respectively parallel.

Mc

Ba

Bc Ma

Ac Ab A

Cb Ca Mb C

Fig. 3 Now we have the following theorem ([1] Aufgabe 34; [4] problem 109; [5] problem 131): Theorem 2: A hexagon, whose opposite sides are respectively parallel, and whose main diagonals are of equal length, has a circumcircle. Thus, in order to show that the hexagon A b A c B c B a C a C b has a circumcircle, we must prove: AbBa  AcCa  BcCb. We will calculate A c C a after the Cosine Law in triangle A c SC a ; but for this aim we must know the two other sides and the opposite angle. The side A c S is the circumradius of AM c S; so we have AS  1 CS  2 k  AS  SM c  M c A  4  AcS 4  AcS  CS  c AS ,  16  A c S hence A c S  AS  CS  c . 16  k Analogously, C a S  AS  CS  a . 16  k
1 2

Mc S Ac

Ma Ca

A Mb C
Fig. 4 Now we will calculate 1A c SC a . (Our arguments depend on the arrangement of points on Fig. 4, but can be done analogously for other positions.) In the isosceles AA c S, we have

1A c SA  90 " 1 1AA c S
2

 90 " 1AM c S
and similarly 1C a SC  90 " 1SM a C. Thus,

(central angle),

1A c SC a        

1A c SA  1ASC  1C a SC 90 " 1AM c S  1ASC  90 " 1SM a C 180 " 1AM c S " 1SM a C  1ASC 180 " 1AM c S " 1SM a C  180 " 1M c SA 180 " 1AM c S " 1M c SA  180 " 1SM a C 1M c AS  180 " 1SM a C 1BAM a  1SM a B 1BAM a  1AM a B  180 " *.

Now, we can apply the Cosine Law to A c SC a :

AcCa

 AcS 

 CaS

" 2  A c S  C a S  cos 1A c SC a

    
therefore

AS  CS  c 2  AS  CS  a 2 16  k 16  k  CS  c  CS  a AS AS   cos180 " * "2 16  k 16  k AS  CS 2  c 2  a 2 " 2ca  cos180 " * 16  k AS  CS 2  c 2  a 2  2ca cos * 16  k AS  CS 2  2  BM b 2 (after a formula for a triangle median) 16  k AS  CS 2  2  3  BS 2 2 16  k 2 2 AS  CS 3  AS  BS  CS 2 ,  3  BS  16 k 16  k AS  BS  CS . k

AcCa  3 16

Analogously, one gets the same expression for A b B a and B c C b , and the equation A b B a  A c C a  B c C b is proven! References [1] H. Drrie: Mathematische Miniaturen, Wiesbaden 1969. [2] D. O. Shkljarskij, N. N. Chenzov, I. M. Jaglom: Izbrannye zadachi i teoremy elementarnoj matematiki: Chastj 2 (Planimetrija), Moscow 1952. [3] D. O. Shkljarskij, N. N. Chenzov, I. M. Jaglom: Izbrannye zadachi i teoremy planimetrii, Moscow 1967.