Not Sangaku

Geometry Level 5

In the figure below, all the triangles have integer areas and sides, no two of which are alike. The diameters of the incircles are as shown.

Find the integer diameter of the red incircle of the largest triangle.

Note : The answer is not 562.


The answer is 564.

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1 solution

Michael Mendrin
Feb 15, 2016

Here are the dimensions of all 5 5 triangles with their incircle diameters and areas

( a , b , c , d , A ) = \left(a,b,c,d,A \right)=

( 225 , 351 , 360 , 162 , 37908 ) \left(225,351,360,162,37908 \right)

( 360 , 480 , 600 , 240 , 86400 ) \left(360,480,600,240,86400 \right) \;\; (Recognize this?)

( 416 , 480 , 448 , 256 , 86016 ) \left(416,480,448,256,86016 \right)

( 600 , 806 , 950 , 408 , 240312 ) \left(600,806,950,408,240312 \right)

( 799 , 1222 , 1175 , 564 , 450636 ) \left(799,1222,1175,564,450636 \right)

where a a is the smallest side, and then proceeding clockwise, with d d being the diameter and A A being the area.

If the areas and sides are reals, there'd be an infinity of solutions. However, restricting all areas and sides to integers points to an unique solution. Hence, it's not a Sangaku problem, as it involves number theory.

If any integer diameter d d satisfies for integer k , m , n k,m,n the following relation

d = 2 k ( m n k 2 ) d=2k\left( mn-{ k }^{ 2 } \right)

then there is an Heronian triangle associated with k , m , n k,m,n for which d d is the diameter of its incircle. Given any integer diameter d d , there can be multiple but not infinitely many such Heronian triangles. For integer k , m , n k,m,n , the sides of the Heronian triangle would be

m ( n 2 + k 2 ) m({n}^{2}+{k}^{2})
n ( m 2 + k 2 ) n({m}^{2}+{k}^{2})
( m + n ) ( m n k 2 ) (m+n)(mn-{k}^{2})

That Pythagorean right triangle in the center, as an hunch, is a great starting point for cracking this math puzzle. Given that the ratio of the sides "look like" 3 : 4 : 5 3:4:5 , and given the incircle diameter of 240 240 , it's an easy step to work out 3 3 of the internal edges 360 , 480 , 600 360,480,600 . Then work from there, by finding which combinations of k , m , n k,m,n would yield a given diameter and a given side, for each of the other 3 3 triangles. Start by finding the bottom 2 2 and see if their bases are colinear. In fact, at that point, the problem is already solved.

It is curious how close the following "intuitive" but incorrect solution is to the correct one.

162 2 + 240 2 + 256 2 + 408 2 = 562 \sqrt { { 162 }^{ 2 }+{ 240 }^{ 2 }+{ 256 }^{ 2 }+{ 408 }^{ 2 } } =562

Curious solution, comparable with a conjuring trick! Means: Where do the numbers come from?

Andreas Wendler - 5 years, 3 months ago

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If we start with any 2 2 Heronian triangles and put them on a common base with a point in common, and finish putting in the rest of the lines, then all the triangles have rational areas. So, it was just a matter of finding a couple that would yield a triangle on top with integer sides. Really, I just picked out one that "looked pleasing to the eye". The harder work was making sure that the solution is indeed unique.

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 3 months ago

wow, this is so coooool!!! can you tell me where did you got all the numbers in the beginning of the solution? thanks!!!

Willia Chang - 5 years ago

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