Q.In △ABC, prove that (r1−r11)(r1−r21)(r1−r31)=Δ3abc=r2s24R.
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Excircles and Exradii
Besides the incircle, every triangle has three excircles — one for each vertex — sitting just outside the triangle, each tangent to one side and to the extensions of the other two sides. The excircle "opposite A" (tangent to side BC and to the extensions of AB,AC) has radius r1; similarly r2 opposite B and r3 opposite C. Their formulas closely mirror the inradius formulas:
r1=s−aΔ,r1=stan2A,r1=4Rsin2Acos2Bcos2C,
and cyclically for r2,r3.
The pattern to notice
Compare directly with the inradius: r=Δ/s becomes r1=Δ/(s−a) (semi-perimeter swapped for "semi-perimeter minus the opposite side"); r=(s−a)tan2A becomes r1=stan2A (the roles of s and s−a swap); and r=4Rsin2Asin2Bsin2C becomes r1=4Rsin2Acos2Bcos2C (the sines at the other two half-angles become cosines). This near-symmetry is a genuine structural feature, not a coincidence, and makes the whole family easy to reconstruct rather than memorise independently.
Where the identities linking r,r1,r2,r3 come from
A cluster of neat identities falls out once all four radii are written via Δ and the four quantities s,s−a,s−b,s−c: r11+r21+r31=Δ(s−a)+(s−b)+(s−c)=Δs=r1 (using 3s−(a+b+c)=3s−2s=s); rr1r2r3=Δ2, using (s−a)(s−b)(s−c)=Δ2/s from Heron's formula; and the striking r1+r2+r3−r=4R, whose cleanest proof uses the 4Rsin/cos half-angle forms and the complementary-angle identity 2A+2B+2C=90∘.
A common trap …
Substitute r=sΔ, r1=s−aΔ, etc.; each factor r1−ri1 simplifies to a side over Δ. Then use abc=4RΔ and Δ=rs. …
r1−r11=Δa (and cyclically), so the product is Δ3abc; then abc=4RΔ and Δ=rs give r2s24R.
Recall the standard results r=sΔ, r1=s−aΔ, r2=s−bΔ, r3=s−cΔ. Then
r1=Δs,r11=Δs−a,
so
r1−r11=Δs−(s−a)=Δa.
Similarly r1−r21=Δb and r1−r31=Δc. Multiplying,
(r1−r11)(r1−r21)(r1−r31)=Δa⋅Δb⋅Δc=Δ3abc. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1A7 marksQ.In △ABC, prove that (r1−r11)(r1−r21)(r1−r31)=Δ3abc=r2s24R.
›Reveal solutionSolution
r1−r11=Δa (and cyclically), so the product is Δ3abc; then abc=4RΔ and Δ=rs give r2s24R.
Recall the standard results r=sΔ, r1=s−aΔ, r2=s−bΔ, r3=s−cΔ. Then
r1=Δs,r11=Δs−a,
so
r1−r11=Δs−(s−a)=Δa.
Similarly r1−r21=Δb and r1−r31=Δc. Multiplying,
(r1−r11)(r1−r21)(r1−r31)=Δa⋅Δb⋅Δc=Δ3abc. …
- CBSE 2024Set 1A7 marksQ.If r1=2, r2=3, r3=6 and r=1, prove that a=3, b=4 and c=5.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the identity Δ2=rr1r2r3 to find the triangle's area, then s=rΔ for the semi-perimeter, and finally s−a=r1Δ (and similarly for b,c) to recover each side.
Given: r1=2, r2=3, r3=6, r=1 (in-radius and ex-radii of △ABC). Show a=3, b=4, c=5.
Step 1. Use the standard identity Δ2=r⋅r1⋅r2⋅r3 (where Δ is the triangle's area):
Δ2=1×2×3×6=36⇒Δ=6
Step 2. Use r=sΔ to find the semi-perimeter s:
s=rΔ=16=6
Step 3. Use r1=s−aΔ, so s−a=r1Δ:
s−a=26=3⇒a=s−3=6−3=3
…
- CBSE 2023Set 1A7 marksQ.In △ABC, if a=13, b=14, c=15, then show that R=865, r=4, r1=221, r2=12 and r3=14.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Heron gives Δ=84 with s=21; then each radius follows from its standard formula.
Semi-perimeter: s=213+14+15=21.
Area (Heron): Δ=s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)=21⋅8⋅7⋅6=7056=84.
Circumradius: R=4Δabc=4⋅8413⋅14⋅15=3362730=865.
Inradius: r=sΔ=2184=4.
Exradii: …
- CBSE 2022Set 1A7 marksQ.In triangle ABC, if r1=2, r2=3, r3=6 and r=1, then prove that a=3, b=4 and c=5.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the standard excircle identities r1r2+r2r3+r3r1=s2 and rr1r2r3=Δ2 to find s and Δ, then recover a,b,c from s−a=Δ/r1, s−b=Δ/r2, s−c=Δ/r3.
Given r1=2, r2=3, r3=6, r=1.
Step 1 — find s using the identity r1r2+r2r3+r3r1=s2:
s2=(2)(3)+(3)(6)+(6)(2)=6+18+12=36 ⇒ s=6
Step 2 — find Δ (area) using the identity rr1r2r3=Δ2 (this follows from r=Δ/s, r1=Δ/(s−a), etc. and Δ2=s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)):
Δ2=rr1r2r3=(1)(2)(3)(6)=36 ⇒ Δ=6
Check: r=Δ/s=6/6=1 ✓, consistent with the given r=1.
Step 3 — recover the sides. Since r1=s−aΔ, r2=s−bΔ, r3=s−cΔ: …
- CBSE 2020Set 1A7 marksQ.If r:R:r1=2:5:12, then prove that the triangle is right angled at A.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use the standard identities r1−r=4Rsin2(A/2); substituting the given ratio forces sin2(A/2)=1/2, i.e. A=90∘.
Given r:R:r1=2:5:12, write r=2k, R=5k, r1=12k for some k>0.
Step 1 — recall the standard results:
r=4Rsin2Asin2Bsin2C,r1=4Rsin2Acos2Bcos2C
Step 2 — subtract:
r1−r=4Rsin2A[cos2Bcos2C−sin2Bsin2C]=4Rsin2Acos2B+C
Step 3. Since B+C=π−A, 2B+C=2π−2A, so cos2B+C=sin2A. Hence:
r1−r=4Rsin22A
Step 4 — substitute the given ratio. r1−r=12k−2k=10k and R=5k: …
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