Isotomic conjugate

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In geometry, the isotomic conjugate of a point P with respect to a triangle ABC is another point, defined in a specific way from P and ABC: If the base points of the lines PA, PB, and PC on the sides opposite A, B, and C are reflected about the midpoints of their respective sides, the resulting lines intersect at the isotomic conjugate of P.

Contents

Construction

Isotomic conjugate of a point.svg

We assume that P is not collinear with any two vertices of ABC. Let A', B' and C' be the points in which the lines AP, BP, CP meet sidelines BC, CA and AB (extended if necessary). Reflecting A', B', C' in the midpoints of sides BC, CA, AB will give points A", B" and C" respectively. The isotomic linesAA", BB" and CC" joining these new points to the vertices meet at a point (which can be proved using Ceva's theorem), the isotomic conjugate of P.

Coordinates

If the trilinears for P are p : q : r, then the trilinears for the isotomic conjugate of P are

a2p1 : b2q1 : c2r1,

where a, b and c are the side lengths opposite vertices A, B, and C respectively.

Properties

The isotomic conjugate of the centroid of triangle ABC is the centroid itself.

The isotomic conjugate of the symmedian point is the third Brocard point, and the isotomic conjugate of the Gergonne point is the Nagel point.

Isotomic conjugates of lines are circumconics, and conversely, isotomic conjugates of circumconics are lines. (This property holds for isogonal conjugates as well.)

See also

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Trilinear coordinates

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In geometry, central lines are certain special straight lines that lie in the plane of a triangle. The special property that distinguishes a straight line as a central line is manifested via the equation of the line in trilinear coordinates. This special property is related to the concept of triangle center also. The concept of a central line was introduced by Clark Kimberling in a paper published in 1994.

In geometry, trilinear polarity is a certain correspondence between the points in the plane of a triangle not lying on the sides of the triangle and lines in the plane of the triangle not passing through the vertices of the triangle. "Although it is called a polarity, it is not really a polarity at all, for poles of concurrent lines are not collinear points." It was Poncelet (1788–1867), a French engineer and mathematician, who introduced the idea of the trilinear polar of a point in 1865.

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