PROBLEM NO.

272 SOLUTION
A
B
C
P
m
s-a
s-c
R
r
R
w''
u
u'
v
v'
w'
w
v''
u''
Problem Corner | Solution 272 | by Dave Lindell, LS
Problem No. 272 solution

Let s = (a+b+c), where a, b and c are the sides of triangle ABC. Let BP = m. Let r be the incircle
radius of triangle ABC tangent at points w, w' and w'' and the tangent points of the circles with radius
R be u, u', u'', v, v' and v''.
The semi-perimeter of the left triangle, sL, is (AB + m + PA), that of the right triangle, sR, is
(BC + CP + m). Their sum is (AB + BC + CP + PA + 2m), so that sL + sR = s + m................ [1|
The area of triangle ABC is
2 2 2
r a r b r c
r s

+ + = ,
similarly the areas of the left and right triangles are
L
R s and
R
R s
( ) ( )
L R
r s R s s R s m = + = + and
r s
m s
R

= .......................................................................... [2|
2s = a + b + c = Aw'' + w''C + Cw + wB + Bw' + w'A
2s - Bw' - wB - Cw - w''C = w'A + Aw''
2s - (wB + Cw) - (Bw' + w''C) = 2w''A (because w'A=w''A)
2s - 2a = 2w''A (because Bw' = wB and w''C = Cw), so Aw'' = s - a .......................................... [3|
also 2s = Cw'' + w''A + Aw' + w'B + Bw + wC
2s - (Aw' + w'B) - (Bw + w''A) = Cw'' + wC
2s - 2(Aw' + w'B) = 2Cw'', so Cw'' = s - c .................................................................................. [+|
!n the left triangle, 2sL = Au + uP + Pu'' + u''B + Bu' + u'A
2sL - (Pu'' + u''B) - (uP + Bu') = Au + u'A
2sL - 2m = 2Au, and Au = sL - m............................................................................................... [5|
!n the right triangle, 2sR = Cv + vP + Pv'' + v''B + Bv' + v'C
2sR - (Pv'' + v''B) - (vP + Bv') = Cv + v'C
2sR - 2m = 2Cv, and Cv = sR - m............................................................................................... [6|
By similar triangles
L
r s a
R s m

and
R
r s c
R s m

but from [2|,

r
s s m
R

=



L
s a
s s m
s m

=

and
R
s c
s s m
s m

=

. Expanding and adding these two equations,

L
L
s s a s s s m
m
s m
+
=

and

R
R
s s c s s s m
m
s m
+
=

L L
s s a s s s m m s m + = and
R R
s s c s s s m m s m + =
(2 ) ( )( ) 2 2
L R
s s a c s m s s s m m + + + = (Note that 2s a c b = )
2 ( ) 2 2 2 m s m s b s m s s m m s b s m = + = + +
m s s b = and ( ) m s s b = . !n this case, s= (911.038 + 8+7.71+ + 576.853) =
1167.8025 and (s - b) = 320.0885, so m = 611.392

By Stewart's Theorem,
2
a AP c PC b PB b AP PC + = + , where (8+7.71+ ) PC AP =
Substituting and solving for AP by the quadratic equation, +76.112 AP =
The radius, R, is found from
( )( )( ) s a s b s c
R
s

= using either triangle ABP or PBC. Using ABP,
911.038 611.392 +76.112
999.271
2
s
+ +
= = and
(88.233)(387.879)(523.159)
133.856
999.271
R = =