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Geometry Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it Romania

Determine the planar finite configurations CC consisting of at least three points, satisfying the following condition: if xx and yy are distinct points of CC, then at least one of the two equilateral triangles erected on the segment xyxy has all three vertices in CC.

Solution

The required configurations consist of the three vertices of an equilateral triangle. Clearly, the three vertices of an equilateral triangle form a configuration satisfying the condition in the statement.

To prove the converse, let aa and bb be the end points of a diameter of CC and notice that exactly one of the two equilateral triangles erected on the segment abab has the third vertex cc in CC.

Suppose, if possible, xx is a fourth point in CC. Since the segments abab, bcbc and caca are all three diameters of CC, the point xx is interior to (at least) one of the angles abcabc, bcabca, cabcab, say the latter. Consider the equilateral triangles axyaxy and axzaxz, where bb and zz, respectively cc and yy, both lie on the same side of the line axax. Since CC contains at least one of the points yy and zz, both of which lie outside the triangle abcabc (this is because the angles baxbax and caxcax are both less than π/3\pi/3), we may and will further assume that so does xx, so the quadrangle abxcabxc is convex.

Since axacax \le ac, it follows that axcacx>π/3\angle axc \ge \angle acx > \pi/3, so yy is interior to the angle axcaxc, and bxy<bxc<π\angle bxy < \angle bxc < \pi. And since cay=bax<π/3\angle cay = \angle bax < \pi/3, it follows that bay=bac+cay=π/3+cay<2π/3<π\angle bay = \angle bac + \angle cay = \pi/3 + \angle cay < 2\pi/3 < \pi, so the quadrangle abxyabxy is convex. Hence ax+by>ab+xy=ab+axax + by > ab + xy = ab + ax, i.e., by>abby > ab. Similarly, cz>accz > ac, and since abab and acac are both diameters of CC, and the latter contains at least one of the points yy and zz, we reach a contradiction.

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