Proof. The angles of Δ are related to the angles of Δ
via H and angles on C
subtended at H. There are two angles at A formed by the altitude there and the
adjacent sides. Consider the angle with side AC. This altitude passes through
the vertex A
of Δ
. The altitude perpendicular to AC passes through B
. The
angle formed by these altitudes at H is half the central angle of A
B
, which is
the angle OA
B
. Similarly we can determine OA
C
. The sum of these two
angles is ∠A
; using this we get the same sum as ∠A since the altitudes through H
are perpendicular to the adjacent sides at A. The argument is similar at the other
vertices.
Corollary 8. Δ2 and Δ1 are similar with scale factor R2/R1.
Proof. By Corollary 5 Δ2 is in perspective with Δ1 though H1, with H1 on the
circumcircle of Δ2; and by Proposition 7 Δ2 is oppositely similar to Δ1.
Using the formula for area abc
4R in terms of the side lengths and circumradius then
we easily deduce that the scale factor of the similarity is R2/R1.
2.2. A conic.