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Describe the characteristics of a circle inscribed in an isosceles triangle.

User McTrafik
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Final answer:

An inscribed circle in an isosceles triangle is centered on the triangle's angle bisector, is equidistant from the sides, and touches the sides at tangency points. To construct such a triangle over the inscribed circle, points of tangency to the circle are joined.

Step-by-step explanation:

A circle inscribed in an isosceles triangle is a circle that perfectly fits within the triangle, touching each of the triangle's sides at exactly one point. The characteristics of such a circle include:

  • The circle's center is located on the angle bisector of the triangle's vertex angle.
  • This center is also equidistant from the sides of the triangle, meaning it lies on the incenter of the triangle.
  • The radius of the inscribed circle can be determined by the area and the semi-perimeter of the triangle (the inradius).
  • Each point where the circle touches the triangle's sides is called a point of tangency, and these points form a tangent with the circle.

Furthermore, the isosceles triangle could be constructed using the circle by joining the points where the circle is tangent to the triangle's sides.

User Netjeff
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