Prove that, for all convex pentagons P1P2P3P4P5 with area 1, there are indices i and j (assume P6=P1 and P7=P2) such that: area △PiPi+1Pi+2≤105−5≤area △PjPj+1Pj+2
Solution
Let's prove that there exists a triangle PjPj+1Pj+2 with area less than or equal to α=105−5. Suppose that all triangles PjPj+1Pj+2 have area greater than α.
Let diagonals P1P4 and P3P5 meet at Q. Since Q∈P3P5, area P1P2Q≤max(area P1P2P5,area P1P2P3)<α, so area P1P2P4=1−area P1P4P5−area P2P3P4>1−2α. Thus P1P4P1Q=area P1P2P4area P1P2Q<1−2αα We also have P4QP1Q=area P3P4P5area P1P3P5. Since area P3P4P5<α and area P1P3P5>1−2α, P4QP1Q>α1−2α⟺P1P4P1Q>1−α1−2α Therefore 1−α1−2α<P1P4P1Q<1−2αα⟹5α2−5α+1<0⟺105−5<α<105+5, contradiction.
The proof of the other inequality is analogous.
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