Let be a triangular pyramid such that no face of the pyramid is a right triangle and the orthocenters of triangles , , and are collinear. Prove that the center of the sphere circumscribed to the pyramid lies on the plane passing through the midpoints of , and .
Solution
1. Projection and Perpendicularity:
- Let be the projection of onto the plane .
- Let , , and be the projections of onto lines , , and , respectively.
- Since is perpendicular to the plane , is perpendicular to . Similarly, is perpendicular to , implying is perpendicular to the plane and thus to .
- Similarly, is perpendicular to and is perpendicular to .
2. Orthocenters and Collinearity:
- Denote the orthocenters of triangles , , and by , , and , respectively.
- lies on line , on line , and on line .
- Since no face of the pyramid is a right triangle, , , and do not coincide at , , , or .
3. Plane and Line Intersection:
- Consider the plane . Both and lie on this plane, so line lies in the plane .
- Since , , and are collinear, also lies on this plane. Thus, line lies in the plane .
- Point lies on both planes and , so lies on the intersection line of these planes, which is line .
- Therefore, , , and are collinear.
4. Simson Line and Circumcircle:
- Since , , and are the projections of onto lines , , and , respectively, by the Simson Theorem, lies on the circumcircle of triangle .
5. Circumcenter of the Pyramid:
- Consider a point on the plane passing through the midpoints of , , and , with its projection onto the plane being the circumcenter of triangle .
- Let be the radius of the circumcircle of triangle .
- The distances , , and are all equal to .
- The distance is given by:
- Since lies on the plane passing through the midpoints of , , and , we have .
6. Conclusion:
- Therefore, is equidistant from , , , and , making the circumcenter of the pyramid.
- Hence, lies on the plane passing through the midpoints of , , and .