Maths Olympiad Prep

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Geometry Difficulty 5.1 AIME, harder Prove it China

Suppose the included angle between non-zero vectors a\vec{a} and b\vec{b} in the plane is π3\frac{\pi}{3}. If a,b,a+b|\vec{a}|, |\vec{b}|, |\vec{a} + \vec{b}| form arithmetic sequence in order, find the value of a:b:a+b|\vec{a}| : |\vec{b}| : |\vec{a} + \vec{b}|.

Solution

Denote s=as = |\vec{a}|, t=bt = |\vec{b}|, and then s,t>0s, t > 0. Note that the included angle between a\vec{a} and b\vec{b} is π3\frac{\pi}{3}, and we have
a+b2=a2+(b)2+2ab=s2+t2+2stcosπ3=s2+t2+st. \begin{aligned} |\vec{a} + \vec{b}|^2 &= \vec{a}^2 + (\vec{b})^2 + 2\vec{a} \cdot \vec{b} \\ &= s^2 + t^2 + 2st \cos \frac{\pi}{3} \\ &= s^2 + t^2 + st. \end{aligned}
By the condition, we know that s,t,s2+t2+sts, t, \sqrt{s^2 + t^2 + st} form arithmetic sequence in order. Then there is s2+t2+st=2ts\sqrt{s^2 + t^2 + st} = 2t - s. Squaring and arranging the above equation gives 5st3t2=05st - 3t^2 = 0. And since t0t \neq 0, it follows that 5s=3t5s = 3t, i.e., s:t=3:5s : t = 3 : 5.

Therefore, a:b:a+b=3:5:7|\vec{a}| : |\vec{b}| : |\vec{a} + \vec{b}| = 3 : 5 : 7.

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