Difference between revisions of "2010 USAMO Problems/Problem 4"
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their ratio, which is <math>2</math>, would be the square of a rational number, | their ratio, which is <math>2</math>, would be the square of a rational number, | ||
but <math>\sqrt{2}</math> is irrational, and so the assumed triangle cannot exist. | but <math>\sqrt{2}</math> is irrational, and so the assumed triangle cannot exist. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==See also== | ||
+ | {{USAMO newbox|year=2010|num_b=3|num-a=5}} |
Revision as of 19:53, 5 April 2011
Contents
Problem
Let be a triangle with
. Points
and
lie on sides
and
, respectively, such that
and
. Segments
and
meet at
. Determine whether or not it is possible for
segments
to all have integer lengths.
Solution
We know that angle , as the other two angles in triangle
add to
. Assume that only
, and
are integers. Using the Law of Cosines on triangle BIC,
. Observing that
and that
we have
and therefore,
Since the right side of the equation is a rational number, the left side (i.e. ) must also be rational. Obviously since
is irrational, this claim is false and we have a contradiction. Therefore, it is impossible for
, and
to all be integers, which invalidates the original claim that all six lengths are integers, and we are done.
Solution 2
The result can be also proved without direct appeal to trigonometry, via just the angle bisector theorem and the structure of Pythagorean triples. (This is a lot more work).
A triangle in which all the required lengths are integers exists if and
only if there exists a triangle in which and
are
relatively-prime integers and the lengths of the segments
are all rational
(we divide all the lengths by the
or
conversely multiply all the lengths by the least common multiple
of the denominators of the rational lengths).
Suppose there exists a triangle in which the lengths and
are
relatively-prime integers and the lengths
are all rational.
Since is the bisector of
, by the angle bisector
theorem, the ratio
, and since
is the
bisector of
,
. Therefore,
. Now
is by assumption rational,
so
is rational, but
and
are assumed integers
so
must also be rational. Since
is the hypotenuse of
a right-triangle, its length is the square root of an integer,
and thus either an integer or irrational, so
must be an integer.
With and
relatively-prime, we conclude that the side
lengths of
must be a Pythagorean triple:
, with
relatively-prime positive integers
and
odd.
Without loss of generality, .
By the angle bisector theorem,
Since is a right-triangle, we have:
and so is rational if and only if
is a perfect square.
Also by the angle bisector theorem,
and therefore, since is a right-triangle, we have:
and so is rational if and only if
is a perfect square.
Combining the conditions on and
, we see that
and
must both be perfect squares. If it were so,
their ratio, which is
, would be the square of a rational number,
but
is irrational, and so the assumed triangle cannot exist.
See also
2010 USAMO (Problems • Resources) | ||
Preceded by [[2010 USAMO Problems/Problem {{{num-b}}}|Problem {{{num-b}}}]] |
Followed by Problem 5 | |
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 | ||
All USAMO Problems and Solutions |