Numerical trap

Geometry Level 3

consider that there exist three non zero numbers a,b,c
if a,b and c which follow the rule that:

arctan(a/b) = arcsin(a/c) = arccos(b/c)

does it logically follow that a+b > c ?

No Yes

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3 solutions

Maksym Karunos
Jul 3, 2019

a r c c o s ( b c ) = a r c c o s ( b c ) arccos(\frac{b}{c}) = arccos(bc) ;

take cosine of both sides. you are allowed to do this c 0 c\neq0 ;

c o s ( a r c c o s ( b c ) ) = c o s ( a r c c o s ( b c ) ) ; cos(arccos(\frac{b}{c})) = cos(arccos(bc));

b c = b c \frac{b}{c} = bc

c 2 = 1 c^2 = 1

c = 1 c = 1 or c = 1 c = -1

as c = 1 c = -1 does not make sense c = 1 ; \rightarrow c =1;

This shows that a , b , c a,b,c are the sides of the triangle. In any triangle, any two sides are always bigger than the other one a + b > c \rightarrow \boxed{a+b>c}

Let each of the given expressions be α α . Then c o s α cosα = b c \dfrac{b}{c} = b c bc . This implies c 2 c^2 =1 . Also ( s i n α ) 2 (sinα)^2 + ( c o s α ) 2 (cosα)^2 =1. This implies a 2 a^2 + b 2 b^2 c 4 c^4 =1. Or a 2 a^2 + b 2 b^2 =1= c 2 c^2 . Therefore a + b > c a+b>c

You need to put a backslash "\" before sin and cos as \sin \alpha sin α \sin \alpha and \cos \alpha cos α \cos \alpha . Note that the function sin and cos is not in italic which is for variables and constants x , y , z , a , b , c x, y, z, a, b, c . Also note that there is a space between sin \sin and α \alpha and cos \cos and α \alpha . Only use one pair of \ ( and \ ) for the whole formula. for example: sin 2 α α + cos 2 α = 1 \sin^2 \alpha \alpha + \cos^2 \alpha = 1 and a 2 + b 2 c 4 = 1 a^2+b^2c^4 = 1 . Notice that the + + and = = are bigger is LaTex.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 1 year, 11 months ago

What about the case ( a , b , c ) = ( 0 , 1 , 1 ) (a,b,c)=(0,1,1) ?

Chris Lewis - 1 year, 11 months ago

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Clever observation :)

A Former Brilliant Member - 1 year, 11 months ago

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Well, I'm shooting myself in the foot - I initially thought the answer was "yes", for the reasons you put - now the answer might be changed to "no", and I'll be marked wrong :-).

Chris Lewis - 1 year, 11 months ago
Akshat Kumar
Jul 2, 2019

if arctan(a/b) = arcsin(a/c) = arcos(b/c) = theta then sin(theta) = a/c , cos(theta) = b/c, tan(theta) = a/b. so this shows that a,b,c are the sides of a right angle trianlge

You have a typo somewhere - in the problem you have b c bc and in your solution b c \frac{b}{c} .

Chris Lewis - 1 year, 11 months ago

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