Malle drew a rhombus ABCD and chose points E and F on sides AB and BC, respectively, such that the triangle DEF is equilateral. Malle was very surprised when she discovered that there is another possibility to choose points E and F on sides AB and BC, respectively, such that DEF is equilateral. What can be the measures of the angles of this rhombus?
Figure 17
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
There is clearly only one way to choose points E and F on sides AB and BC, respectively, such that E and F would be symmetrical with respect to the diagonal BD and ∠EDF=60∘. Thus it is possible in Malle's rhombus to choose E and F asymmetrically with respect to diagonal BD such that triangle DEF is equilateral; let us consider one of the possible setups. W.l.o.g., we can assume that ∣EB∣<∣BF∣ (otherwise we can switch the roles of A and C and the roles of E and F). Let α=∠BAD=∠BCD and β=∠AED. Also let E′ be the point symmetrical to E with respect to diagonal BD (see fig. 17); then ∣DE′∣=∣DE∣=∣DF∣ gives that triangle E′DF
is isosceles and ∠BFD=∠FE′D=∠AED=β. Therefore ∠CDF=180∘−∠DCF−∠DFC=180∘−α−(180∘−β)=β−α. Now 180∘−α=∠ADC=∠ADE+∠EDF+∠FDC=(180∘−α−β)+60∘+(β−α)=240∘−2α. From here α=60∘, that is the angles of the rhombus are 60∘ and 120∘.
Figure 18
Solution 2
Let the first choices of Malle be E1 and F1 and second ones E2 and F2 (see fig. 18). As ∠E1DF1=60∘=∠E2DF2 and ∣DE1∣=∣DF1∣ and ∣DE2∣=∣DF2∣, the rotation of the plane by 60∘ around point D that takes E1 to F1 must also take E2 to F2. The same rotation must then take the line E1E2 to F1F2 or line AB to line BC. Therefore ∠ABC=120∘, thus the angles of the rhombus are 60∘ and 120∘.
Figure 18
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