Generalizing the Nagel line to circumscribed polygons by analogy and constructive defining

Abstract

This paper first discusses the genetic approach and the relevance of the history of mathematics for teaching, reasoning by analogy, and the role of constructive defining in the creation of new mathematical content. It then uses constructive defining to generate a new generalization of the Nagel line of a triangle to polygons circumscribed around a circle, based on an analogy between the Nagel line and the Euler line of a triangle.