Harmonic quadruple

of points

A quadruple of points on a straight line with cross ratio equal to . If is a harmonic quadruple of points, one says that the pair harmonically divides the pair , or that the points and are harmonically conjugate with respect to the points and ; the pairs and are called harmonically conjugate.

Figure: h046530a

A harmonic quadruple can be defined without recourse to metric concepts. Let be a quadrangle (see Fig.), let and be the intersection points of the opposite sides, and let and be the intersection points of the diagonals and of with the straight line . Then the quadruple of points is a harmonic quadruple. A quadruple of straight lines (or planes) passing through a single point (a single straight line) is called a harmonic quadruple of straight lines (planes) if a straight line intersects it in a harmonic quadruple of points.

Comments

When the straight line is a complex one, but viewed as a Euclidean plane, one says harmonic quadrilateral, see [a1].

For example, use, etc. of harmonic quadruples see, for example, [a1]–[a3].

References

[a1]	M. Berger, "Geometry" , I , Springer (1987) pp. 270
[a2]	H.S.M. Coxeter, "Projective geometry" , Blaisdell (1964)
[a3]	H.S.M. Coxeter, "The real projective plane" , McGraw-Hill (1949)