3 Cheers for Geometry !!

Geometry Level 5

The sides a,b,c of a Δ \Delta ABC are in Geometric Progression whose common ratio is 2 3 \frac{2}{3} and the circumradius of the triangle is 6 × 7 209 6 \times \sqrt{ \frac{7}{209}} .

Find the longest side of the triangle .

The answer is of the form m n \frac{m}{n} where m and n are co-prime numbers ;

Find m n m^{n} .

You can try more of my Questions here .


The answer is 2401.

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5 solutions

Let the sides be a = 3 2 x a=\dfrac{3}{2}x , b = x b=x and c = 2 3 x c=\dfrac{2}{3}x . Now use the formula for the circumradius:

R = a b c ( a + b + c ) ( a + b c ) ( a b + c ) ( a + b + c ) R=\dfrac{abc}{\sqrt{(a+b+c)(a+b-c)(a-b+c)(-a+b+c)}}

6 7 209 = x 3 1463 36 x 2 6\sqrt{\dfrac{7}{209}}=\dfrac{x^3}{\dfrac{\sqrt{1463}}{36}x^2}

7 209 = 6 x 7 209 \dfrac{\sqrt{7}}{\sqrt{209}}=\dfrac{6x}{\sqrt{7} \sqrt{209}}

x = 7 6 x=\dfrac{7}{6}

Finally, the longest side is a a :

a = 3 2 7 6 = 7 4 m = 7 n = 4 a=\dfrac{3}{2} \cdot \dfrac{7}{6}=\dfrac{7}{4} \implies m=7 \implies n=4

So, the final answer is 7 4 = 2401 7^4=\boxed{2401} .

Actually this the way I did it .

Happy to see that there is someone who thinks like me !!!!

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 5 months ago

Hi, its been a long time since I solved a question of yours what happened , can you post one sooner?

I'll be waiting !!!

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 4 months ago

Let the longest side length be a a , b = 2 3 a b=\frac{2}{3}a , c = 4 9 a c=\frac{4}{9}a , the center of the circumcircle be O O , its radius r = 6 × 7 209 r = 6\times \sqrt{\frac{7}{209}} , A B O = α \angle ABO = \alpha and O B C = β \angle OBC = \beta .

Using Cosine Rule, we have:

{ b 2 = a 2 + c 2 2 a c cos ( α + β ) cos ( α + β ) = 61 72 . . . ( 1 ) r 2 = c 2 + r 2 2 c r cos α cos α = 2 a 9 r . . . ( 2 ) r 2 = a 2 + r 2 2 a r cos β cos β = a 2 r . . . ( 3 ) \begin{cases} b^2 = a^2 + c^2 - 2 ac \cos{(\alpha+\beta)} &\Rightarrow \cos{(\alpha+\beta)} = \dfrac {61}{72} &...(1)\\ r^2 = c^2 + r^2 - 2 cr \cos{\alpha} &\Rightarrow \cos{\alpha} = \dfrac {2a}{9r} &...(2)\\ r^2 = a^2 + r^2 - 2 ar \cos{\beta} &\Rightarrow \cos{\beta} = \dfrac {a}{2r} &...(3) \end{cases}

We know that:

cos ( α + β ) = cos α cos β sin α sin β \cos{(\alpha+\beta)} = \cos{\alpha} \cos{\beta} - \sin{\alpha} \sin{\beta}

61 72 = 2 a 9 r × a 2 r ( 1 4 a 2 81 r 2 ) ( 1 a 2 4 r 2 ) \displaystyle \Rightarrow \frac {61}{72} = \frac {2a}{9r} \times \dfrac {a}{2r} - \sqrt{\left(1-\frac {4a^2}{81r^2}\right) \left(1-\frac {a^2}{4r^2}\right)}

61 72 a 2 9 r 2 = ( 1 4 a 2 81 r 2 ) ( 1 a 2 4 r 2 ) \displaystyle \Rightarrow \frac {61}{72} - \frac {a^2}{9r^2} = - \sqrt{\left(1-\frac {4a^2}{81r^2}\right) \left(1-\frac {a^2}{4r^2}\right)}

3721 5184 61 a 2 324 r 2 + a 4 81 r 4 = 1 97 a 2 324 r 2 + a 4 81 r 4 \displaystyle \Rightarrow \frac {3721}{5184} - \frac {61a^2}{324r^2} + \frac {a^4}{81r^4} = 1-\frac {97a^2}{324r^2} + \frac {a^4}{81r^4}

a 2 9 r 2 = 1463 5184 a 2 = 1463 ˙ 9 ˙ 36 ˙ 7 5184 ˙ 209 = 49 16 \Rightarrow \dfrac {a^2}{9r^2} = \dfrac {1463}{5184} \quad \Rightarrow a^2 = \dfrac {1463\dot{} 9\dot{} 36 \dot{} 7}{5184\dot{} 209} = \dfrac {49}{16}

a = 7 4 m n = 7 4 = 2401 \Rightarrow a = \dfrac {7}{4}\quad \Rightarrow m^n = 7^4 = \boxed{2401}

Nice solution but there was an easy way R=(abc)/(4*Area),where you apply Heron's formula for the area of the triangle

Rifath Rahman - 6 years, 5 months ago

Nice solution Sir

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 5 months ago

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Nice question, actually.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 6 years, 5 months ago

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Thanks sir.

Sir, from where did you practice Geometry since it's almost as if it's your strong point ,right ?

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 5 months ago

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@A Former Brilliant Member I am a retired person and I have a lot of time practicing math on Brilliant.org. Just digging through what I have learned 30 years ago and start practicing. Geometry hasn't changed much over the years. In fact, I didn't learn about incircle, circumcircle, centroid back then. I just picked up through the internet. Work hard and you will be as good if not better.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 6 years, 5 months ago

We know in usual notations
R = p r o d u c t o f s i d e s 4 A r e a . L e t t h e s i d e s b e 18 x , 12 x , a n d 8 x . s = 19 x , A r e a = 19 1 7 11 x 2 . 18 12 8 x 3 4 19 1 7 11 x 2 = 1 2 3 x 4 7 209 = R = 6 7 209 . S o x = 7 72 . B i g g e s t s i d e = 18 x = 7 4 = m n . S o m n = 7 4 = 2401 R=\dfrac{product\ of\ sides}{4*Area}.\\ Let \ the\ sides\ be\ 18x,\ 12x,\ and\ 8x.\\ \therefore\ s=19x,\ \ \ \ \ Area=\sqrt{19*1*7*11}*x^2.\\ \implies\ \dfrac{18*12*8*x^3}{4* \sqrt{19*1*7*11}*x^2}=\dfrac{12^3x}{4*\sqrt{7*209}}=R=6*\sqrt{\dfrac 7 {209}}.\\ So\ x=\dfrac 7 {72}.\\ \therefore\ Biggest\ side\ =18x=\dfrac 7 4=\dfrac m n.\\ So\ \ m^n=7^4=\color{#D61F06}{2401} .

Mohd Faraz
Jan 22, 2017

Dan Ley
Oct 28, 2016

We have a triangle of sides a a , 2 3 a \frac{2}{3}a and 4 9 a \frac{4}{9}a , inscribed within a circle of radius 252 209 \sqrt{ \frac{252}{209}} .

By the Cosine Rule, a 2 = ( 2 3 a ) 2 + ( 4 9 a ) 2 2 × 2 3 a × 4 9 a × cos θ a^2 = (\frac{2}{3}a)^2 + (\frac{4}{9}a)^2 - 2 \times \frac{2}{3}a \times \frac{4}{9}a \times \cos\theta , where θ \theta is the angle opposite a a ,

29 81 a 2 = 16 27 a 2 cos θ \implies \frac{29}{81}a^2 = -\frac{16}{27}a^2\cos\theta ,

c o s θ = 29 48 \implies cos\theta = -\frac{29}{48} .

Using the identity cos 2 θ = 2 cos 2 θ 1 \cos2\theta = 2\cos^2\theta -1 , we have that cos 2 θ = 311 1152 \cos2\theta = -\frac{311}{1152} (a calculator could have been used here instead).

Knowing that the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference, we can form a triangle of lengths a , 252 209 a, \sqrt{ \frac{252}{209}} and 252 209 \sqrt{ \frac{252}{209}} , where the angle opposite to a a is 2 θ 2\theta .

By using the Cosine Rule a second time, we have that a 2 = 504 209 504 209 cos 2 θ a^2 = \frac{504}{209} - \frac{504}{209}\cos2\theta ,

a 2 = 49 16 \implies a^2 = \frac{49}{16} (by substituting cos 2 θ = 311 1152 \cos2\theta = -\frac{311}{1152} ),

a = 7 4 \implies a = \frac{7}{4}

The longest side of the triangle is a a , which implies that m = 7 m = 7 and n = 4 n = 4 ,

m n = 7 4 = 2401 \therefore m^n = 7^4 = 2401

The diagram below, in which x = θ = \theta , r = 252 209 \sqrt\frac{252}{209} , and C is the center of the circumcircle may also aid my explanation (or not!)

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