The Largest Sphere Within A Pyramid

Geometry Level 5

A B C D ABCD is a convex quadrilateral such that [ A B D ] = [ C D B ] [ABD] = [CDB] , A B = 1 |AB| = 1 and B C = C D |BC|=|CD| . S S is a point in space such that A S + D S = 2 |AS| + |DS| = \sqrt{2} and the volume of the pyramid S A B C D SABCD is equal to 1 6 \frac{1}{6} .

The surface area of the largest ball that can fit inside such a pyramid can be expressed as a b c π , \frac{a-\sqrt{b}}{c} \pi , where a , b , c a,b,c are positive integers, with c c the smallest possible. What is a + b + c ? a+b+c?

Image credit: Wikipedia Avishai Teicher


The answer is 54.

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1 solution

Calvin Lin Staff
May 22, 2014

First of all, A S D S 1 2 |AS|\cdot |DS| \leq \frac{1}{2} by the Arithmetic-Geometric Mean Inequality. At the same time, [ A S D ] = 1 2 sin A D S ( A S D S ) . [ASD]=\frac{1}{2}\sin \angle ADS \cdot (|AS|\cdot |DS| ) . So [ A S D ] 1 4 . [ASD]\leq \frac{1}{4}. Because B D BD divides the area of A B C D ABCD in half, the volume of A B D S ABDS is exactly half of the volume of the pyramid, so it equals 1 12 . \frac{1}{12}. On the other hand, consider A B D S ABDS as a pyramid with base A S D . ASD. Its volume is 1 3 [ A S D ] A B sin α , \frac{1}{3}\cdot [ASD]\cdot |AB|\sin \alpha, where α \alpha is the angle between A B AB and the plane A S D . ASD. Since A B = 1 , |AB|=1, all these inequalities must be equalities! Thus, A B A S D , AB \perp ASD, A S = D S , |AS|=|DS|, and A S D = 9 0 . \angle ASD = 90^\circ.

By the Pythagorean theorem, A D = 1 , |AD|=1, so A B D ABD is an isosceles right triangle. Since B C = C D |BC|=|CD| and [ B C D ] = [ B A D ] , [BCD]=[BAD], A B C D ABCD is a square, with side 1 1 . Because A B A S D , AB \perp ASD, the planes A B C D ABCD and A S D ASD are perpendicular. If E E is the midpoint of A D AD and F F is the midpoint of B C , BC, then F E S = 9 0 , \angle FES = 90^\circ, E F = 1 , |EF|=1, E S = 1 2 . |ES|=\frac{1}{2}.

Note that the given conditions define the pyramid uniquely, we just need to find the largest radius of a ball that fits in it. Consider the infinite cylinder with the perpendicular cross-section F E S FES . Clearly, any ball that fits inside A B C D S ABCDS will fit inside this cylinder. The largest possible radius of a ball inside this prism cannot be larger than the in-radius of the triangle F E S . FES.

Lemma. The in-radius of a right triangle U V W , UVW, with the right angle V , V, equals U V V W U V + V W + U W . \frac{|UV|\cdot |VW|}{|UV|+|VW|+|UW|}.

Proof. If the in-radius is r r , then 1 2 U V V W = [ U V W ] = r U V + V W + U W 2 \frac{1}{2}|UV|\cdot |VW| =[UVW]=r\cdot \frac{|UV|+|VW|+|UW| }{2} and the formula easily follows.

From the above lemma, the in-radius of A S D ASD equals 1 2 / ( 1 + 2 ) = 1 2 + 2 2 . \frac{1}{2}/(1+\sqrt{2})=\frac{1}{2+2\sqrt{2}}. Similarly, the in-radius of the triangle F E S FES is ( 1 2 ) / ( 5 2 + 1 2 + 1 ) = 1 3 + 5 \left( \frac{1}{2}\right) /\left( \frac{\sqrt{5}}{2} +\frac{1}{2}+1\right)=\frac{1}{3+\sqrt{5}} One can easily check that 2 + 2 2 < 3 + 5 2+2\sqrt{2}<3+\sqrt{5} , so the in-radius of A S D ASD is greater than the in-radius of F E S . FES. Clearly, the largest radius of a ball inside A B C D S ABCDS is no larger than 1 3 + 5 . \frac{1}{3+\sqrt{5}}. On the other hand, place a ball of this radius in the in-center of F E S . FES. Because the distance from this in-center to E F EF is 1 3 + 5 , \frac{1}{3+\sqrt{5}}, the distance from it to the planes A B S ABS and D S C DSC equals 1 2 2 1 2 1 3 + 5 = 5 + 1 2 2 ( 3 + 5 ) \frac{1}{2\sqrt{2}}-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \cdot \frac{1}{3+\sqrt{5}}=\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2\sqrt{2}(3+\sqrt{5})}
One can easily check that 5 + 1 > 2 2 , \sqrt{5}+1>2\sqrt{2}, so this distance is greater than the in-radius of F E S , FES, thus the ball fits! So the largest possible radius is r = 1 3 + 5 = 3 5 4 . r=\frac{1}{3+\sqrt{5}}=\frac{3-\sqrt{5}}{4}. The surface area is 4 π r 2 = 14 6 5 4 π = 7 45 2 π . 4\pi r^2=\frac{14-6\sqrt{5}}{4}\pi= \frac{7-\sqrt{45}}{2}\pi . So ( a , b , c ) = ( 7 , 45 , 2 ) , (a,b,c)=(7,45,2), thus a + b + c = 54. a+b+c=54.

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