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Isotomic Conjugate
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The isotomic conjugate of a point is the point of concurrence Q of the isotomic lines relative to a point P. The isotomic conjugate alpha^':beta^':gamma^' of a point with trilinear coordinates alpha:beta:gamma is

 (a^2alpha)^(-1):(b^2beta)^(-1):(c^2gamma)^(-1).
(1)

Vandeghen (1965) calls the transformation taking points to their isotomic conjugates the Cevian transform. The product of isotomic and isogonal is a collineation which transforms the sides of a triangle to themselves (Vandeghen 1965).

An isotomic transversal is sometimes referred to as an isotomic conjugate (Ehrmann and van Lamoen 2004).

There are four points which are isotomically self-conjugate: the triangle centroid G and each of the exmedian points. The following table lists some common centers and their isotomic conjugates.

triangle centerisotomic conjugate
Gergonne point GeNagel point Na
incenter IX_(75)
Nagel point NaGergonne point Ge
orthocenter Hsymmedian point of the anticomplementary triangle X_(69)
symmedian point Kthird Brocard point Omega^('')
third Brocard point Omega^('')symmedian point K
triangle centroid Gtriangle centroid G

The isotomic conjugate of a line d having trilinear equation

 lalpha+mbeta+ngamma=0
(2)

is a conic section circumscribed on the triangle DeltaABC (Casey 1893, Vandeghen 1965). The isotomic conjugate of the line at infinity having trilinear equation

 aalpha+bbeta+cgamma=0
(3)

is the Steiner circumellipse

 (beta^'gamma^')/a+(gamma^'alpha^')/b+(alpha^'beta^')/c=0
(4)

(Vandeghen 1965).

The isotomic conjugate of the Euler line is called the Jerabek hyperbola (Casey 1893, Vandeghen 1965).

The type of conic section to which d is transformed is determined by whether the line d meets the Steiner circumellipse E.

1. If d does not intersect E, the isotomic transform is an ellipse.

2. If d is tangent to E, the transform is a parabola.

3. If d cuts E, the transform is a hyperbola, which is a rectangular hyperbola if the line passes through the isotomic conjugate of the orthocenter

(Casey 1893, Vandeghen 1965).

SEE ALSO: Cevian Transform, Gergonne Point, Isogonal Conjugate, Isotomic Lines, Isotomic Transform, Isotomic Transversal, Jerabek Hyperbola, Nagel Point, Steiner Circumellipse

REFERENCES:

Casey, J. "Theory of Isogonal and Isotomic Points, and of Antiparallel and Symmedian Lines." Supp. Ch.§1 in A Sequel to the First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid, Containing an Easy Introduction to Modern Geometry with Numerous Examples, 5th ed., rev. enl. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, Co., pp. 165-173, 1888.

Casey, J. A Treatise on the Analytical Geometry of the Point, Line, Circle, and Conic Sections, Containing an Account of Its Most Recent Extensions with Numerous Examples, 2nd rev. enl. ed. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, Co., 1893.

Eddy, R. H. and Fritsch, R. "The Conics of Ludwig Kiepert: A Comprehensive Lesson in the Geometry of the Triangle." Math. Mag. 67, 188-205, 1994.

Ehrmann, J.-P. and van Lamoen, F. M. "A Projective Generalization of the Droz-Farny Line Theorem." Forum Geom. 4, 225-227, 2004. http://forumgeom.fau.edu/FG2004volume4/FG200427index.html.

Johnson, R. A. Modern Geometry: An Elementary Treatise on the Geometry of the Triangle and the Circle. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, pp. 157-159, 1929.

Kimberling, C. "Central Points and Central Lines in the Plane of a Triangle." Math. Mag. 67, 163-187, 1994.

Sigur, S. "Where are the Conjugates?" Forum Geom. 5, 1-15, 2005. http://forumgeom.fau.edu/FG2005volume5/FG200501index.html.

Vandeghen, A. "Some Remarks on the Isogonal and Cevian Transforms. Alignments of Remarkable Points of a Triangle." Amer. Math. Monthly 72, 1091-1094, 1965.




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Weisstein, Eric W. "Isotomic Conjugate." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/IsotomicConjugate.html

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