The lengths of the sides of a triangle are consecutive integers and its inradius is 4. Find the lengths of the sides and the circumradius.
Solution
Let a, b, c be the sides such that a=b−1 and c=b+1. Recall Heron's Formula and two other well known formulae for the area of a triangle: ∣ABC∣=s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)=4Rabc=rs, where r=4 is the inradius and R the circumradius. We obtain s=((b−1)+b+(b+1))/2=3b/2 and so ∣ABC∣=rs=6b. Therefore, 36b2=∣ABC∣2=s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)=3b2(b2−4)/16, i.e. 192=b2−4 and so b2−1=195. This gives b2=196=142 and so b=14, a=13 and c=15. Finally, 6b=∣ABC∣=4Rabc and so R=24babc=24b2−1=24195=865.
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Source: MathNet,
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