# Proving Frégier's Theorem for conics

I am looking for a proof of Frégier's theorem for conics.

Pick any point $$P$$ on a conic section, and draw a series of right angles having this point as their vertices. Then the line segments connecting the rays of the right angles where they intersect the conic section concur in a point $$P^\prime$$.

In my work, I am mainly focusing on the "linear algebra" approach of conics in projective geometry, using mainly matrices. I am therefore looking for a proof of this theorem using mainly linear algebra, which I have not been thus far able to find.

Could anybody help?

• To be clear: Is this the theorem you mean? "Pick any point $P$ on a conic section, and draw a series of right angles having this point as their vertices. Then the line segments connecting the rays of the right angles where they intersect the conic section concur in a point $P'$." – Blue May 15 at 19:41
• Yes, exactly. @Blue – Shurik Goyal May 15 at 19:44
• Of what I have researched, the best way would probably involve using polar correspondances on conic sections. – Shurik Goyal May 15 at 19:49
• Please edit your question to include any additional information or thoughts you have. Comments are easily overlooked. – Blue May 15 at 19:50

Consider the general equation of the conic: $$Ax^2 + 2 Bxy+ Cy^2+2Dx+2Ey+F=0 \tag{1}$$
Note that, if there is a "Frégier Point" corresponding to a point $$P$$, then it must lie on the normal at $$P$$. Let's assume that $$P$$ lies at the origin and its normal is vertical (that is, its tangent is horizontal). These conditions require that $$(0,0)$$ satisfies $$(1)$$ (making $$F=0$$), and that $$(0,0)$$ and $$y^\prime=0$$ satisfy $$(1)$$'s derivative: $$2Ax + 2B(x y'+y)+2Cyy'+2D+2Ey'=0 \quad\stackrel{(0,0),y'=0}{\to}\quad D=0 \tag{2}$$
$$Ax^2 + 2Bxy+ Cy^2+2Ey=0 \tag{3}$$
(where we may assume $$E\neq 0$$, else there would also be a vertical tangent at the origin). Converting to polar coordinates via $$(x,y)\to (r\cos\theta,r\sin\theta)$$, we can write $$r = \frac{-2 E \sin\theta}{A\cos^2\theta + 2 B \sin\theta \cos\theta + C \sin^2\theta} \tag{4}$$ which in turn leads to a parametric equation for the conic. The points corresponding to $$\theta$$ and $$\theta+\pi/2$$ are joined by this line $$2 x ( A \cos 2\theta + B \sin 2\theta) + y ( A + C )\sin 2\theta + 2 E \sin 2\theta = 0 \tag{5}$$ This line crosses the $$y$$-axis (that is, the normal at $$P$$) when $$x=0$$: $$y ( A + C ) \sin 2\theta + 2 E \sin 2\theta = 0 \quad\to\quad y = -\frac{2E}{A+C} \tag{6}$$ That value is independent of $$\theta$$, and therefore corresponds to the point common to the lines for all $$\theta$$. That's the desired Frégier Point. $$\square$$