Pentagon and a circle

Geometry Level 2

We've inscribed a circle into a pentagon, as shown in the diagram.

Is it possible that the side lengths of the pentagon are 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 in some order?

Yes, it's possible No, it's not possible

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2 solutions

Áron Bán-Szabó
Jul 16, 2017

Suppose yes. Then we can use the figure below.

x + y + z + v + w = ( x + y ) + ( y + z ) + ( z + v ) + ( v + w ) + ( w + x ) 2 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 2 = 8 x+y+z+v+w=\dfrac{(x+y)+(y+z)+(z+v)+(v+w)+(w+x)}{2}=\dfrac{1+2+3+4+6}{2}=8 Let's assume, that the A B AB side's length is 6 6 . Then ( x + y ) = 6 (x+y)=6 , so z + v + w = 8 6 = 2 z+v+w=8-6=2 . From that both of the C D = z + v CD=z+v and the D E = v + w DE=v+w side's lenght is smaller, than 2 2 , but from the 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 numbers, only one is smaller then 2 2 , which is a contradiction.

So the answer is: not possible.

Can this argument be developed enough to decide the general case of side lengths a,b,c,d,e?

Anthony Cutler - 3 years, 8 months ago

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That is a brilliant question, but I haven't figured out it yet...

Áron Bán-Szabó - 3 years, 8 months ago
Auro Light
Sep 20, 2017

Each side of Pentagon is a sum of two tangent lengths with each of these lengths also a tangent length in adjacent side. Let us say that the side length 6 is a sum of two tangents of lengths x and (6-x).
Since these lengths have also to be carved out of the adjacent sides, x should be more than 2, otherwise the tangent length of (6-x) will not be possible on adjacent side. With x=>2, the two sides adjacent to 6 can only be 3 and 4. The side 3 will consist of two tangents of lengths x and
(3-x) and the side of length 4 will comprise two tangents of lengths (6-x) and 4 - (6-x) = (x - 2).
The remaining two sides are of lengths (1,2) or (2,1). The tangents of lengths (3-x) and (x-2) will have to be carved out of sides (1,2) or (2,1) and the balance lengths left on these sides should be equal, being the final tangent.
So, we have,
1 - (3-x) = 2 - (x-2), => x = 3, Or
2 - (3-x) = 1 - (x-2), => x = 2,
If x = 3, the tangent length (3-x) becomes 0 and the sides 3 and 1 are joined in a straight line and it is not a Pentagon but a quadrilateral. If x = 2, the tangent (x-2) = 0, and sides 4 and 1 get joined in a straight line and it no longer remains a Pentagon.
Hence the Pentagon with given sides would not be possible.


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