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Demystifying Barycentric Coordinates

The document defines and provides examples of barycentric coordinates, which represent points in a triangle based on ratios of distances to the triangle's vertices. It then demonstrates how to: [1] Find barycentric coordinates of vertices, midpoints, and trisectors of segments; [2] Derive equations of lines through triangle edges; and [3] Prove Ceva's theorem relating ratios of lengths along cevians through a single point.

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Cody Johnson
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350 views2 pages

Demystifying Barycentric Coordinates

The document defines and provides examples of barycentric coordinates, which represent points in a triangle based on ratios of distances to the triangle's vertices. It then demonstrates how to: [1] Find barycentric coordinates of vertices, midpoints, and trisectors of segments; [2] Derive equations of lines through triangle edges; and [3] Prove Ceva's theorem relating ratios of lengths along cevians through a single point.

Uploaded by

Cody Johnson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Demystifying Barycentric Coordinates

Cody Johnson September 22, 2013

Introduction

Consider any triangle ABC and a point P not necessarily within ABC . Let A , B , and C be the intersections of lines AP , BP , and CP with BC , AC , and AB , respectively, as shown in the gure below. Now let x = P A , y = P B , and z = P C , as also shown in the gure. C

B y P z A C x

We write the barycentric coordinate of P as P = (x : y : z ), but since barycentric coordinates are homogeneous, we usually use normalized barycentric coordinates. Normalized barycentric coordinates are in the form of (a, b, c) such that a + b + c = 1. To convert from general barycentric coordinates to normalized
y z barycentric coordinates, we use (a, b, c) = x+x y +z , x+y +z , x+y +z . Note that if any one of a, b, c is negative, then the point is not within the triangle. Exercise 1. Find the normalized barycentric coordinates of A, B , and C . Solution 1. Clearly, if point P in the diagram above is point A, then y = z = 0, so the ratio is (x : 0 : 0). Normalizing, we get A = (1, 0, 0). Similarly, we get B = (0, 1, 0) and C = (0, 0, 1).

Theorem 1. Given points P = (a1 , b1 , c1 ), Q = (a2 , b2 , c2 ), and R = (a3 , b3 , c3 ), the signed area [P QR] = [ABC ] a1 a2 a3 b1 b2 b3 c1 c2 c3

Corollary 1. Three points P = (a1 , b1 , c1 ), Q = (a2 , b2 , c2 ), and R = (a3 , b3 , c3 ) are collinear if and only if a1 a2 a3 b1 b2 b3 c1 c2 c3 =0

Exercise 2. Find the equations of lines AB , AC , and BC . Solution 2. If a point P (a, b, c) is on AB , then A, B , and P are collinear. Hence, 1 0 0 1 a b 0 0 c =c=0

Thus, the equation of line AB is c = 0. Similarly, the equations of lines AC and BC are b = 0 and a = 0, respectively. Exercise 3. Find the coordinates of the midpoints MAB , MAC , and MBC of segments AB , AC , and BC . Solution 3. Since the midpoint of segment AB is on line AB , it follows that c = 0. Also, the distances 1 x = y , so the general barycentric coordinate is MAB = (x : x : 0). Normalizing, we get MAB = 1 2, 2, 0 . 1 1 1 1 Similarly, we get MAC = 2 , 0 2 and MBC = 0, 2 , 2 . Exercise 4. Find the coordinates of the trisectors T1 and T2 of segment AB , with AT1 < AT2 . Solution 4. Since the trisector of segment AB is on line AB , it follows that c = 0. Also, the distances 1 2y = x, so the general barycentric coordinate is T1 = (2y : y : 0). Normalizing, we get T1 = 2 3, 3, 0 . 1 2 Similarly, we get T2 = ( 3 , 3 , 0). Exercise 5 (Cevas Theorem). Prove that cevians AA , BB , and CC are concurrent if and only if BA CB AC =1 AC BAC B Proof. Let the intersection of the cevians be P = (a, b, c) and A = (0, d, 1 d), B = (1 e, 0, e), and C = (f, 1 f, 0). We have from collinearity 1 0 a 0 0 d 1d b c 0 e c 1 0 c = dc b(1 d) = 0 1d c = , b d

0 1 1e 0 a b 0 f a 0 1f b

= ea (1 e)c = 0

a 1e = , and c e b 1f = a f

= f b (1 f )a = 0

Multiplying these three together yields 1d1e1f =1 d e f which is equivalent to Cevas Theorem from homogeneity.

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