As shown in Fig. 11.1, the edge length of cube ABCD–EFGH is 2. Take any point P1 on the incircle of square ABFE, take any point P2 on the incircle of square BCGF, and take any point P3 on the incircle of square EFGH. Find the minimum and maximum of ∣P1P2∣+∣P2P3∣+∣P3P1∣.
Fig. 11.1
Solution
According to the condition, we can set P1(1,cosα1,sinα1),P2(sinα2,1,cosα2),P3(cosα3,sinα3,1). We conventionally assume that P4=P1 and α4=α1. Denote di=∣PiPi+1∣(i=1,2,3). Then di2=(1−sinαi+1)2+(1−cosαi)2+(sinαi−cosαi+1)2. Denote f=∣P1P2∣+∣P2P3∣+∣P3P1∣.
We first find the minimum of f. For i=1,2,3, according to (1) and the inequality of arithmetic and geometric means we get di2≥(1−sinαi+1)2+(1−cosαi)2≥21((1−sinαi+1)+(1−cosαi))2, and thus di≥22(2−sinαi+1−cosαi). Therefore, f=d1+d2+d3≥22i=1∑3(2−sinαi+1−cosαi)=32−22i=1∑3(sinαi+cosαi)=32−i=1∑3sin(αi+4π)≥32−3. When αi=4π (i=1,2,3), f can take the minimum 32−3.
Then we will find the maximum of f. By (1), it is clear that di2=4−2cosαi−2sinαi+1−2sinαicosαi+1. Note that sinαi≥−1, cosαi≥−1 (i=1,2,3), and then i=1∑3di2=12−2(i=1∑3sinαi+1+i=1∑3cosαi+i=1∑3sinαicosαi+1)=12−2(i=1∑3sinαi+i=1∑3cosαi+1+i=1∑3sinαicosαi+1)=18−2i=1∑3(1+sinαi)(1+cosαi+1)≤18. By the Cauchy inequality, we know that f2≤3(d12+d22+d32)=54, so f≤36.
When αi=π (i=1,2,3), f can take the maximum 36. In conclusion, the minimum of f is 32−3, and its maximum is 36. □
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