Tetrahedron's sphere

Geometry Level 4

A regular tetrahedron has a sphere with the volume of 6 π \sqrt { 6 } \pi inscribed in it. Find the value of the tetrahedron's side length.


The answer is 6.

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2 solutions

Ralph Macarasig
May 25, 2016

Let r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r_1, r_2, r_3, and r 4 r_4 denote the inradii of the faces of the tetrahedron and R R denote the inradius of the tetrahedron.

We have the following inequality,

1 r 1 2 \frac{1}{r_1^2} + + 1 r 2 2 \frac{1}{r_2^2} + + 1 r 3 2 \frac{1}{r_3^2} + + 1 r 4 2 \frac{1}{r_4^2} \leq 2 R 2 \frac{2}{R^2}

with equality occurring if and only if the tetrahedron is a regular one.

Let a a be the length of an edge of the tetrahedron. We need to find the inradius of an equilateral triangle with side length a a .

r 1 = K s r_1 = \frac{K}{s} where K K is the area of the triangle and s s is the semiperimeter.

r 1 = r 2 = r 3 = r 4 = a 2 3 4 3 a 2 r_1 = r_2 = r_3 = r_4 = \frac{\frac{a^2\sqrt3}{4}}{\frac{3a}{2}} = a 3 6 = \frac{a\sqrt3}{6}

Hence, 1 r 1 2 \frac{1}{r_1^2} + + 1 r 2 2 \frac{1}{r_2^2} + + 1 r 3 2 \frac{1}{r_3^2} + + 1 r 4 2 \frac{1}{r_4^2} = = 4 × ( 12 a 2 4\times(\frac{12}{a^2} ) = 48 a 2 = \frac{48}{a^2} = 2 R 2 \frac{2}{R^2}

Then, R 2 = a 2 24 R^2 = \frac{a^2}{24} and R = a 2 6 R = \frac{a}{2\sqrt6}

The volume of the sphere is,

4 3 π R 3 = \frac{4}{3}\pi R^3 = 4 3 π ( a 2 6 ) 3 = 4 a 3 144 6 π = a 3 36 6 π = π 6 \frac{4}{3}\pi (\frac{a}{2\sqrt6})^3 = \frac{4a^3}{144\sqrt6}\pi = \frac{a^3}{36\sqrt6}\pi = \pi \sqrt6

Hence, a 3 = 216 a^3 = 216 , a = 6 \boxed{a=6}

Splendid solution!

Ciprian Florea - 5 years ago

r = i n r a d i u s e , s = e d g e / s i d e , i n c i r c l e v o l u m e = 4 3 π r 3 = 6 π , 4 3 r 3 = 6 , r = 6 3 4 3 . B u t a l s o r = 1 12 6 s . s = 6 3 4 3 12 6 = 6 9 16 6 12 6 = 3 9 8 6 12 6 = 3 2 12 6 = 6. r=inradiuse,~~~~~~~~s=edge/side,\\ incircle~volume=\frac 4 3 *\pi*r^3=\sqrt6*\pi,\\ \therefore~\frac 4 3*r^3=\sqrt6,~~\implies~r=\sqrt[3]{\sqrt6*\dfrac 3 4}.\\ But~~also~r=\frac 1 {12}*\sqrt6*s.\\ \therefore~~s=\sqrt[3]{\sqrt6*\dfrac 3 4 }*\dfrac{12}{\sqrt6}=\sqrt[6]{6*\dfrac 9{16}}*\dfrac{12}{\sqrt6}\\ =\sqrt[6]{\dfrac{3*9} 8}*\dfrac{12}{\sqrt6}=\sqrt{\dfrac 3 2}*\dfrac{12}{\sqrt6}= \Large~~\color{#D61F06}{6}.\\

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