Integer Isosceles Triangles

How many isosceles triangles with integer sides exist that have Perimeter = Area

infinity 0 2 1

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

1 solution

Chris Lewis
Jun 7, 2021

We'll show there are no solutions . Say the sides of the triangle are a , a , b a,a,b . Then the perimeter is P = 2 a + b P=2a+b , the semiperimeter is s = a + b 2 s=a+\frac{b}{2} and by Heron's formula, the area is A = s ( s a ) ( s a ) ( s b ) A=\sqrt{s(s-a)(s-a)(s-b)}

Substituting A = P = 2 s A=P=2s , 2 s = s ( s a ) ( s a ) ( s b ) 4 s 2 = s ( s a ) 2 ( s b ) 4 s = ( s a ) 2 ( s b ) 4 ( a + b 2 ) = ( b 2 ) 2 ( a b 2 ) b 3 2 a b 2 + 16 b + 32 a = 0 \begin{aligned} 2s&=\sqrt{s(s-a)(s-a)(s-b)} \\ 4s^2 &= s(s-a)^2 (s-b) \\ 4s &= (s-a)^2 (s-b) \\ 4\left(a+\frac{b}{2} \right) &= \left(\frac{b}{2}\right)^2 \left(a-\frac{b}{2} \right) \\ b^3-2ab^2+16b+32a&=0 \end{aligned}

From this we see b b must be even; so let b = 2 b b=2b' and divide through by 8 8 to get b 3 a b 2 + 4 b + 4 a = 0 b'^3-ab'^2+4b'+4a =0

At this point note we have a linear equation in the variable a a ; rearranging we find a = b ( b 2 + 4 ) ( b 2 4 ) = b + 4 b + 2 + 4 b 2 a=\frac{b'\left(b'^2+4\right)}{\left(b'^2-4\right)}=b'+\frac{4}{b'+2}+\frac{4}{b'-2} (with some partial fraction work.)

It's simple to show that for all integer b > 8 b'>8 , 0 < 4 b + 2 + 4 b 2 < 1 0<\frac{4}{b'+2}+\frac{4}{b'-2}<1 so the right hand side above cannot be an integer; it's then casework to show no other b b' works.

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...