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Difference between revisions of "PaperMath’s circles"

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==PaperMath’s circles==
 
==PaperMath’s circles==
 
This theorem states that for a <math>n</math> tangent externally tangent circles with equal radii in the shape of a <math>n</math>-gon, the radius of the circle that is externally tangent to all the other circles can be written as <math>\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}</math> and the radius of the circle that is internally tangent to all the other circles can be written as <math>\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}+2r</math> Where <math>r</math> is the radius of one of the congruent circles and where <math>n</math> is the number of tangent circles. The formula for the radius of the externally tangent circle is true for all values of <math>n>4</math>, since there would obviously be no circle that could be drawn internally tangent to the other circles at <math>n \leq 4</math>
 
This theorem states that for a <math>n</math> tangent externally tangent circles with equal radii in the shape of a <math>n</math>-gon, the radius of the circle that is externally tangent to all the other circles can be written as <math>\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}</math> and the radius of the circle that is internally tangent to all the other circles can be written as <math>\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}+2r</math> Where <math>r</math> is the radius of one of the congruent circles and where <math>n</math> is the number of tangent circles. The formula for the radius of the externally tangent circle is true for all values of <math>n>4</math>, since there would obviously be no circle that could be drawn internally tangent to the other circles at <math>n \leq 4</math>
 +
 +
Here is a diagram of what <math>n=5</math> would look like.
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<asy>
 
<asy>
 
size(10cm);  //Asymptote by PaperMath  
 
size(10cm);  //Asymptote by PaperMath  

Revision as of 19:19, 27 March 2024

PaperMath’s circles

This theorem states that for a $n$ tangent externally tangent circles with equal radii in the shape of a $n$-gon, the radius of the circle that is externally tangent to all the other circles can be written as $\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}$ and the radius of the circle that is internally tangent to all the other circles can be written as $\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}+2r$ Where $r$ is the radius of one of the congruent circles and where $n$ is the number of tangent circles. The formula for the radius of the externally tangent circle is true for all values of $n>4$, since there would obviously be no circle that could be drawn internally tangent to the other circles at $n \leq 4$

Here is a diagram of what $n=5$ would look like.

[asy] size(10cm); //Asymptote by PaperMath real s = 0.218; pair A, B, C, D, E; A = dir(90 + 0*72)*s/cos(36); B = dir(90 + 1*72)*s/cos(36); C = dir(90 + 2*72)*s/cos(36); D = dir(90 + 3*72)*s/cos(36); E = dir(90 + 4*72)*s/cos(36); // Draw the pentagon draw(A--B--C--D--E--cycle); real r = 1; // Radius of the congruent circles is 1 unit draw(circle(A, r)); draw(circle(B, r)); draw(circle(C, r)); draw(circle(D, r)); draw(circle(E, r)); pair P_center = (A + B + C + D + E) / 5; real R_central = 1/cos(pi/180*54) - 1; draw(circle(P_center, R_central)); [/asy]

Proof

We can let $r$ be the radius of one of the congruent circles, and let $x$ be the radius of the externally tangent circle, which means the side length of the $n$-gon is $2r$. We can draw an apothem of the $n$-gon, which bisects the side length, forming a right triangle. The length of the base is half of $2r$, or $r$, and the hypotenuse is $x+r$. The angle adjacent to the base is half of an angle of a regular $n$-gon. We know the angle of a regular $n$-gon to be $\frac {180(n-2)}n$, so half of that would be $\frac {90(n-2)}n$. Let $a=\frac {90(n-2)}n$ for simplicity. We now have $\cos a=\frac {adj}{hyp}$, or $\cos a = \frac {r}{x+r}$. Multiply both sides by $x+r$ and we get $\cos a~x+\cos a~r=r$, and then a bit of manipulation later you get that $x=\frac {r(1-\cos a}{cos a}$, or when you plug in $a=\frac {90(n-2)}n$, you get $\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}$. Add $2r$ to find the radius of the internally tangent circle to get $\frac {r(1-\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}{\cos(\frac{90(n-2)}n)}+2r$, and we are done.

Notes

PaperMath’s circles was discovered by the aops user PaperMath, as the name implies.

See also

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