Let a, b, c be the complex coordinates of the vertices of the triangle. The given condition is:
∣a+2b−3c∣=∣a−4b+3c∣
Let z1=a+2b−3c and z2=a−4b+3c. Then ∣z1∣=∣z2∣.
Consider the difference:
∣z1∣2=∣z2∣2
Expanding both sides:
(a+2b−3c)(a+2b−3c)=(a−4b+3c)(a−4b+3c)
Let us subtract one side from the other:
(a+2b−3c)(a+2b−3c)−(a−4b+3c)(a−4b+3c)=0
Let us denote a, b, c as A, B, C for clarity. Let us expand both products:
First term:
(a+2b−3c)(a+2b−3c)=aa+2ab−3ac+2ba+4bb−6bc−3ca−6cb+9cc
Second term:
(a−4b+3c)(a−4b+3c)=aa−4ab+3ac−4ba+16bb−12bc+3ca−12cb+9cc
Subtracting:
[aa+2ab−3ac+2ba+4bb−6bc−3ca−6cb+9cc]−[aa−4ab+3ac−4ba+16bb−12bc+3ca−12cb+9cc]=0
Now, combine like terms:
- aa cancels.
- 9cc−9cc cancels.
ab: 2ab−(−4ab)=6ab
ac: −3ac−3ac=−6ac
ba: 2ba−(−4ba)=6ba
bb: 4bb−16bb=−12bb
bc: −6bc−(−12bc)=6bc
ca: −3ca−3ca=−6ca
cb: −6cb−(−12cb)=6cb
So the sum is:
6ab−6ac+6ba−12bb+6bc−6ca+6cb=0
Group terms:
6(ab+ba)−6(ac+ca)+6(bc+cb)−12bb=0
Divide both sides by 6:
(ab+ba)−(ac+ca)+(bc+cb)−2bb=0
Now, recall that ab+ba=2Re(ab), etc.
So:
2Re(ab)−2Re(ac)+2Re(bc)−2∣b∣2=0
Divide by 2:
Re(ab)−Re(ac)+Re(bc)−∣b∣2=0
Rearrange:
Re(ab)−Re(ac)+Re(bc)=∣b∣2
But ∣b∣2=bb, and Re(ab)=21(ab+ba).
Alternatively, interpret geometrically:
Let A, B, C be the points with complex coordinates a, b, c.
The given condition is:
∣a+2b−3c∣=∣a−4b+3c∣
Let us denote z=a+2b−3c, w=a−4b+3c.
Note that ∣z∣=∣w∣ means that z and w are equidistant from the origin.
But z−w=(a+2b−3c)−(a−4b+3c)=6b−6c=6(b−c).
So z and w are collinear with b and c.
The midpoint of z and w is:
2z+w=2(a+2b−3c)+(a−4b+3c)=22a−2b=a−b
So the segment zw is centered at a−b and has direction b−c.
Since ∣z∣=∣w∣, the segment zw is perpendicular to the line joining the origin to a−b.
That is, the vector b−c is perpendicular to a−b.
Therefore, b−c⊥a−b.
But a−b is the vector from B to A, and b−c is the vector from C to B.
So the triangle ABC has ∠ABC=90∘.
Therefore, the triangle is right-angled.