Analyzing the Setup
Imagine you are standing in front of a right-angled triangle ABC, with the right angle at C. The sides are a, b, and the hypotenuse c. This is our canvas.
The Circumcircle
The Guardian of the Hypotenuse
Let us first consider the circumcircle. This is the circle that perfectly encloses our triangle, touching all three vertices.
Because ∠C=90∘, the hypotenuse c acts as the diameter of this circle. This is a classic property: the angle subtended by a diameter at the circumference is always 90∘.
Therefore, the circumcenter lies exactly at the midpoint of the hypotenuse. If the hypotenuse is the diameter, then the circumradius R must be half of that length.
So, we have our first pillar of truth:
This implies that 2R=c. Keep this in your pocket; it is going to be vital later.
The Incircle
The Heart of the Triangle
Now, let us look inside. We want to fit the largest possible circle within this triangle. This is the incircle, with radius r.
For a right-angled triangle, there is a beautiful, specific formula for this radius. If you draw the tangents from the vertices to the incircle, you will find that the inradius r is given by:
Why? Because the distance from the vertex C to the points of contact on sides a and b creates a small square of side r at the corner. The remaining lengths of the sides a and b are then tangent segments that sum up to the hypotenuse c.
When you derive this, you get 2r=a+b−c. This formula is a lifesaver in competitive exams.
The Synthesis
The Grand Cancellation
Now, we bring it all together. The problem asks us to evaluate 2(r+R). Let us expand this:
We have our two pillars ready. We know 2r=a+b−c and we know 2R=c. Let us substitute these into our expression:
Look at that! The −c and the +c are staring at each other, waiting to vanish. They cancel out perfectly, leaving us with the elegant result:
The hypotenuse, which seemed so important, has completely disappeared from the final answer. This is the elegance of geometry.
We started with a complex relationship involving the hypotenuse, and through the symmetry of the triangle, we arrived at a simple sum of the two perpendicular sides. Remember this result, not just as a formula, but as a testament to the harmony of mathematics.