The perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle meet in a point which is equidistant from the vertices of the triangle.
Let the perpendicular bisector of AB and AC of ∇ABC be DO and EO where O is their point of intersection.
Join the vertices to O
Consider the ∇ADO and ∇BDO
AD = BD (Construct)
DO = DO (Common)
^ADO = ^BDO (Construct)
∇ADO = ∇BDO (2 sides and incl. angle eq.)
∴ AO = BO
Similarly it can be shown by considering ∇AEO and ∇CEO that
AO = CO
∴ AO = BO = CO
Let F be the mid-point of BC
We now need to show that the line FO is perpendicular to BC
Consider ∇BFO and ∇CFO
BO = CO (Proven above)
BF = CF (Construct)
^OBF = ^OCF (Isosceles triangle)
∴ ∇BFO = ∇CFO (2 sides and incl. angle equal)
∴ ^BFO = ^CFO
= 90º (BC is a straight line)
∴ FO is the perpendicular bisector of BC
Therefore the perpendicular bisectors of triangle meet at a single point which is equidistant from the vert
The perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle meet in a point which is equidistant from the vertices of the triangle.
Let the ⊥ bisectors EE′ and DD′ intersect at O
O being in EE′ is equidistant from A & C (Perp. bis. equidistant from ends)
O being in DD′ is equidistant from A & B
∴ O is equidistant from B and C
∴ O ⊥ bisector FF′ (Line equidistant from ends is perp)