A characteristic property of the Euclidean disc (Q624242): Difference between revisions

As is well-known, the Euclidean disk is characterized by the property that two tangent segments from an exterior point have always equal lengths. Here, it is shown that, for a strictly convex smooth body in the plane, it suffices that this property holds for all exterior points on one line if in addition the lines joining the two contact points always meet in a fixed point. Examples show that none of the assumptions may be omitted. The proof uses the concept of power of a point with respect to a circle and the pole polar relation.