A straightforward proof of Descartes's circle theorem (Q2325855): Difference between revisions

The theorem mentioned in the title of the paper, also known as Soddy's formula, is a relation for the radii \(r_1\), \(r_2\), \(r_ 3\), \(r_4\), of four mutually tangent circles in the plane \[ 2\left(\frac1{r_1^2}+\frac1{r_2^2}+\frac1{r_3^2}+\frac1{r_4^2}\right)=\left(\frac1{r_1}+\frac1{r_2}+\frac1{r_3}+\frac1{r_4}\right)^2. \] There are two such situations; in each, the radius in the equation is taken with plus sign if the corresponding circle is touched by the three circles from the outside, and with minus sign if it is touched from the inside. After historical remarks about this result, the author presents a delightful proof which uses only Heron's formula and a clever rearranging and multiple squaring of the equation.