Geometical properties of cardioids

Yevheniia Frankevych
October 2023

1 Introduction
A cardioid is a plane curve that can be defined in a variety of ways. In this arti-
cle are shown synthetic proofs of some definitions and properties of a cardioid.
For Theorems A and B no preliminary knowledge is required, but for the proof
of Theorem C the reader should be familiar with basic properties of parabolas
and inversion. We will start at this simple geometrical construction:

Construction:
Two circles ω1 and ω2 with centres O1 and O2 intersect at two points A and
B. Let l be an arbitrary line that passes through B and intersects ω1 and ω2
at points M and N respectively. Tangents to ω1 at M and to ω2 at N intersect
at X. Let L be the locus of all points X. Line AX intersects circumcircle ω of
△O1 AO2 at Y .
Call ω the generating circle of L. Let O be the circumcenter of this circle and
R be its radius.

Theorem A: XY = 2R.

Theorem B: Let Ω be a circle with center O and radius 3R, and let a tan-
gent through X to L intersect Ω at points C, D (where C is closer to the point
A1 = AO ∩ L). Then CD = CA1 .

Theorem C: The inversion in A transforms the cardioid into a parabola.

1
2 Proofs
Proof (Theorem A, Figure 1):

Note ̸ M AB = ̸ XM N and ̸ BAN = ̸ M N X, as XM and XN are tangents

to ω1 and ω2 . Therefore,
̸ M AN = ̸ M AB + ̸ BAN = ̸ XM N + ̸ M N X = 180◦ − ̸ N XM

So quadrilateral AM XN is cyclic (with circumcircle ω3 ).

Let P be the second point of intersection of ω and ω3 (other than A).

Lines M O1 and N O2 intersect on ω because ̸ M O1 A = 2̸ ABN = ̸ AO2 N .
Similarly, ̸ O1 M A = ̸ O2 N A = 90◦ − ̸ ABN as both △AO1 M and △AO2 N
are isosceles and so the base angles are equal. So lines M O1 and N O2 also
intersect at ω3 .
Therefore, M O1 and N O2 intersect at P .

Let O3 be the point of intersection of line XP with ω.

ω: ̸ P O3 A = ̸ P O2 A = 180◦ − ̸ AO2 N = 180◦ − 2̸ ABN
ω3 : ̸ P XA = ̸ P M A = 90◦ − ̸ ABN = 12 ̸ P O3 A
△AO3 X: ̸ O3 AX = ̸ P O3 A − ̸ P XA = ̸ P XA ⇒ △AO3 X is isosceles
(O3 A = O3 X)

M X is tangent to ω1 so ̸ P M X = 90◦ . ̸ P AX = ̸ P M X = 90◦ (ω3 ).

Note that in △P AX ̸ A = 90◦ and O3 lies on hypotenuse such that O3 X =
O3 A. So O3 is clearly the midpoint of P X and a center of ω3 . Finally,
̸ P XY = ̸ P XA = ̸ O3 XA = ̸ O3 AX = ̸ O3 P Y (ω) = ̸ XP Y ⇒
△P Y X is isosceles ⇒ XY = P Y = 2R, as P Y is a diameter of ω
(̸ P AY = 90◦ )

Now the cardioid can be also defined as a locus of all points X such that
XY = 2R (for every point Y on ω there exist two points X and both of them
lie on cardioid, more details in Lemma 3 ). Thus, the locus does not depend on
ω1 and ω2 . In fact, it only depends on the generating circle. Now lets prove
some properties of L.

2
 Figure 1: Theorem A

Lemma 1. ω3 touches L at X.

Proof : The fact that ω3 touches L means that there is a unique point X on ω3
such that XY = 2R (Y = XA ∩ ω).
That is true as having a point X one can uniquely determine P = Y O ∩ ω.
Thus, we can uniquely constuct a circle ω3 .

Lemma 2. Let ω1 , ω2 and ω3 be three circles such that they pass through
A and touch L. The second points of intersection of these circles are collinear.

Proof : According to the previous lemma, by the points of tangency of

ωi (i = 1,2,3) to L we can uniquely determine their centers which must lie on
ω. Therefore, we get exactly the same construction as shown on Figure 1. So if
ω1 and ω2 are fixed and X moves on L, then M, B, N will always stay on l.

Lemma 3. If XA intersects L second time at X1 , then X1 Y = XY = 2R

Proof: Notice that we can still define X1 similarly to X but for another l.
So the proof that X1 Y = 2R is the same as the proof of the Theorem 1. Hence,
X1 Y = XY = 2R

Now lets proceed to the proof of Theorem B.

3
 Figure 2: Theorem B

Proof (Theorem B, Figure 2):

Proof: Firstly, change the statement of the theorem:

Let D1 = AX ∩ ω, C1 = XE ∩ ω, E = D1 O ∩ ω. By the proof of Theorem A
C1 is a circumcenter of △XAE. Let lX be a tangent to L that passes through
X, D = OD1 ∩ lX , C = OC1 ∩ lX . We need to prove that D, C ∈ Ω and that
DC = A1 C.

Lemma 4. XD1 C1 C is a parallelogram.

Proof: Consider lines ED1 , EX and points O, C1 on them. OD1 = OE = R and

C1 E = C1 X = Radius(XAE) (C1 ∈ XE because ̸ XAE = ̸ D1 AE = 90◦ ), so
lines OC and D1 X are parallel according to intercept theorem.

̸ CXE = ̸ XAE (= 90◦ , as lX is tangent to L) = ̸ D1 AE = ̸ D1 C1 X

Hence, D1 C1 ∥ XC and XD1 C1 C is a parallelogram.

4
Therefore, C1 C = XD1 = 2R (Theorem A).
So OC = OC1 + C1 C = R + 2R = 3R ⇒ C ∈ Ω.
D1 C1 ∥ DC ⇒ △D1 OC1 ∼ △DOC. Thus, OD = OC = 3R because OD1 =
OC1 . So D ∈ Ω. Finally,
COA1 = 180◦ − ̸ AOC = 180◦ − 2̸ AEC1 (ω)
̸
= 180 − AEX = 180◦ − 2̸ AXD (as DC is tangent to (AEX))
◦
2̸
= 180◦ − ̸ OCD (AX ∥ OC) = ̸ DOC (△DOC is isocleles with OD = OC)
Thus, we have ̸ COA1 = ̸ DOC, so CD = CA1 .

Now we can define a cardioid in one more way. Cardioid is an envelope of

chords CD in circle Ω such that CD = CA1 . This definition is useful for prov-
ing some other properties of cardioids.

Lemma 5. Let XA intersect L second time at X1 . Then tangents to L at

points X and X1 intersect at D. Then ̸ XDX1 = 90◦ .

Proof: Let C2 = DX1 ∩ CO. According to Lemma 4, XD1 = X1 D1 and

CO ∥ XD1 . Hence, OC = OC2 = 3R and C2 ∈ Ω. Therefore, ̸ XCX1 =
̸ CDC1 = 90◦ because CC2 is a diameter of Ω.
Also, ̸ A1 OC2 = 180◦ − A1 OC = 180◦ − ̸ DOC = ̸ DOC2 , so DC2 is tangent
to L.

Figure 3: Lemma 6

5
Lemma 6. For every two points X, X1 on L such that ̸ XAX1 = 120◦ tangents
to L in these points are parallel.
So there are tree exactly three tangents to a cardioid in every orientation ex-
cept of the direction perpendicular to AA1 (points X, X1 , X2 ). If X = A, the
tangents to L in X1 and X2 coincide.

Proof (Figure 3): Let tangents intersect Ω at B1 , B2 , C1 , C2 . For proving that

B1 B2 ∥ C1 C2 it is enough to prove that ̸ C2 OB1 = ̸ B2 OC1 .
By the proof of Theorem B, OB1 ∥ AX and OC2 ∥ AX1 . Therefore, ̸ B1 OC2 =
̸ XAX1 = 120◦ .

̸ B2 OC1 = 360◦ − (̸ C1 OC2 + ̸ C2 OB1 − ̸ B1 OB2 ) =

◦
240 − (̸ C1 OC2 − ̸ B1 OB2 ) = 240◦ − (̸ A1 OC2 − ̸ B1 OA1 ) (by Theorem B )
= 240◦ − ̸ C2 OB1 = 120◦ = ̸ C2 OB1
Lastly, we will prove Theorem C.

Figure 4: Theorem C

6
Proof (Theorem C, Figure 4):

Let X be an arbitrary point on L on circle ω1 with centre C touching car-

dioid at X. Let l1 be an inverse line of ω (as the center of inversion ∈ ω the
inverse curve of it is a line). Finally, let C1 and X1 be inverses of C, X, and
P be a parabola with focus A and directrix l1 . We need to prove that X1 ∈ P.
Thus, it is enough to show that C1 ∈ l1 , X1 A = X1 C1 and X1 C1 ⊥ l1 by the
definition of parabola.
By the proof of Theorem A, circle ω1 touches cardioid, so C ∈ ω. So C1 ∈ l1 .
Also, ̸ X1 C1 A = ̸ CXA (by inversion) = ̸ CAX = ̸ X1 AC1 . Hence, X1 A =
X1 C1 .
By Lemma 4, OC ∥ AX. Thus, ̸ CAO = ̸ OCA = ̸ X1 AC1 = ̸ X1 C1 A ⇒
AO ∥ X1 C1 . Clearly, AO ⊥ l1 , so X1 C1 ⊥ l1 .

3 Conclusion
There are three equivalent definitions of a cardioid:
1. Fix a circle ω with center O (generating circle), radius R and a point A on
it. Cardioid is a locus of points X such that XY = 2R where Y = XA ∩ ω.
2. Fix two circles with centres in point O and radiuses R and 3R. Cardioid
is an envelope of chords CD in a bigger circle such that CD = CA1 (A1 is a
fixed point on a bigger circle). Smaller circle will be a generating circle of this
cardioid.
3. A cardioid is the inverse curve of a parabola with its focus at the center of
inversion.

4 References
1. A post in Art of Problem Solving about the construction:
https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/q1h361816p1983439
2. A. Akopian, ’Geometry in Figures’ (pp. 123)