Triangle defined by one point III

Geometry Level 4

Point G ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) G (1,2,3) is a centroid of a triangle. Vertices of a triangle are on the axes of the coordinate system.

Find area of the triangle.

Image Credit: Flickr Rui Roda .


The answer is 31.5.

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2 solutions

Maria Kozlowska
Aug 8, 2015

Let A ( a , 0 , 0 ) , B ( 0 , b , 0 ) , C ( 0 , 0 , c ) A(a,0,0), B(0,b,0), C(0,0,c) denote vertices of the triangle. The centroid divides each median into parts in the ratio 2:1, with the centroid being twice as close to the midpoint of a side as it is to the opposite vertex. That same ratio holds for the projection of the median onto an axis on which the median vertex lies. Therefore:

a = 3 × 1 = 3 , b = 2 × 3 = 6 , c = 3 × 3 = 9 a = 3 \times 1 = 3, b = 2 \times 3 = 6, c = 3 \times 3 = 9 .

By de Gua's theorem

A B C = ( 1 2 3 6 ) 2 + ( 1 2 6 9 ) 2 + ( 1 2 9 3 ) 2 = 63 2 = 31.5 \triangle ABC = \sqrt { { \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 3\cdot 6 \right) }^{ 2 }+{ \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 6\cdot 9 \right) }^{ 2 }+{ \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 9\cdot 3 \right) }^{ 2 } } =\dfrac { 63 }{ 2 } =\boxed{31.5}

First time I've ever heard of "de Gua's theorem" But, being that it's an 3D extension of Pythagorean's theorem, I think it's easier to understand if written in this way

( 1 2 3 6 ) 2 + ( 1 2 6 9 ) 2 + ( 1 2 9 3 ) 2 = 63 2 = 31.5 \sqrt { { \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 3\cdot 6 \right) }^{ 2 }+{ \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 6\cdot 9 \right) }^{ 2 }+{ \left( \dfrac { 1 }{ 2 } 9\cdot 3 \right) }^{ 2 } } =\dfrac { 63 }{ 2 } =31.5

Michael Mendrin - 5 years, 10 months ago

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You are right. I copied it to my solution. You learn something new on Brilliant everyday.

Maria Kozlowska - 5 years, 10 months ago

Oh, I used Heron's formula, once I knew about the coordinates. De Gua looks a lot simpler !

Venkata Karthik Bandaru - 5 years, 10 months ago

how we know that a = 3* 1=3 b= 2* 3 = 6 c=3 * 3= 9

Saqib Khalil - 5 years, 10 months ago

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See updated solution.

Maria Kozlowska - 5 years, 10 months ago

I'll use some knowledge about vector.

First, centroid can be found by calculating the average of vertice's coordinate. So, the coordinate of the three vertice are ( 3 , 0 , 0 ) , ( 0 , 6 , 0 ) , ( 0 , 0 , 9 ) (3,0,0),(0,6,0),(0,0,9)

Then, let's go through vector!, the two vectors that compose two sides of the triangle are u = ( 3 , 6 , 0 ) \vec{u}=(-3,6,0) and v ( 3 , 0 , 9 ) \vec{v}(-3,0,9)

Hence, the area of the triangle is 1 2 u × v = 9 2 6 i ^ + 3 j ^ + 2 k ^ \dfrac{1}{2} \left| \vec{u} \times \vec{v} \right|=\dfrac{9}{2} \left| 6\hat{i}+3\hat{j}+2\hat{k} \right|

= 9 2 × 49 = 63 2 = 31.5 =\dfrac{9}{2} \times \sqrt{49}=\dfrac{63}{2}=\boxed{31.5}

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