Notes
two overlapping triangles and a circle solution

Solution to the Two Overlapping Triangles and a Circle Puzzle

Two Overlapping Triangles and a Circle

What’s the sum of these three angles?

Solution by Vertically Opposite Angles, Alternate Segment Theorem, and Angles in a Triangle

Two overlapping triangles and a circle labelled

With the points labelled as above, angles FH^CF \hat{H} C and EH^BE \hat{H} B are equal as they are vertically opposite, then angles FH^CF \hat{H} C and HG^CH \hat{G} C are equal by the alternate segment theorem. So angle HG^CH \hat{G} C is equal to angle EH^BE \hat{H} B. By a similar argument, angle CH^GC \hat{H} G is equal to angle AG^DA \hat{G} D. Angles CH^GC \hat{H} G, HG^CH \hat{G} C, and GC^HG \hat{C} H are the three angles interior to triangle CGHC G H and so sum to 180 180^\circ.

Solution by Angles in a Quadrilateral, Angle at the Centre is Twice the Angle at the Circumference, Angle Between a Radius and Tangent

With the points labelled as above, let us write aa for angle AG^DA \hat{G} D, bb for angle EH^BE \hat{H} B, and cc for angle GC^HG \hat{C} H.

The anti-clockwise angle GO^HG \hat{O} H is twice angle GC^HG \hat{C} H as the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference, so is 2c2 c. So the anti-clockwise angle HO^GH \hat{O} G is 360 2c360^\circ - 2 c.

Angles FH^OF \hat{H} O and OG^FO \hat{G} F are 90 90^\circ as they are both the angles between a radius and tangent. So in quadrilateral OHFGO H F G, angle GF^HG \hat{F} H is 180 (360 2c)=2c180 180^\circ - (360^\circ - 2 c) = 2 c - 180^\circ.

Angle FH^CF \hat{H} C is equal to angle EH^BE \hat{H} B, so is bb, as they are vertically opposite angles. Similarly, angle CG^FC \hat{G} F is equal to aa.

The angle sum of quadrilateral GCHFG C H F is then a+(360 c)+b+2c180 =a+b+c+180 a + (360^\circ - c) + b + 2 c - 180^\circ = a + b + c + 180^\circ. Since the sum of the angles in a quadrilateral is 360 360^\circ, this shows that a+b+c=180 a + b + c = 180^\circ.

Solution by Invariance Principle

Two overlapping triangles and a circle special

In the above configuration, triangle DEFD E F is equilateral. Angle HO^GH \hat{O} G is 120 120^\circ, so triangles HOCH O C and COGC O G are also equilateral making angle GC^HG \hat{C} H equal to 120 120^\circ. Triangle ABCA B C is isosceles meaning that angles HB^EH \hat{B} E and DA^GD \hat{A} G are 30 30^\circ. Angles BE^HB \hat{E} H and GD^AG \hat{D} A are 120 120^\circ, meaning that angles EH^BE \hat{H} B and AG^DA \hat{G} D are 30 30^\circ. So the marked angles sum to 120 +30 +30 =180 120^\circ + 30^\circ + 30^\circ = 180^\circ.