Let ABC be a triangle with integral side lengths such that ∠A=3∠B. Find the minimum value of its perimeter.
Solution
Let the sides be a,b,c. From the sine rule, we have babc=sinBsin3B=4cos2B−1=sinBsinC=sinBsin4B=8cos3B−4cosB Thus 2cosB=aca2+c2−b2∈Q.
Hence there exist coprime positive integers p,q such that 2cosB=q2. Hence ba=q2p2−1⇔p2−q2a=q2b; bc=q3p3−q2p⇔p3−2pq2c=q3b. Thus (p2−q2)qa=q3b=p3−2pq2c=fe,gcd(e,f)=1. Since perimeter is minimum, gcd(a,b,c)=1. From gcd(e,f)=1, we have f∣q3 and f∣p3−2pq2. We'll prove that f=1. If f>1, then it has a prime divisor f′>1 such that f′∣q3 and f′∣p3−2pq2. Thus f′∣q and f′∣p, contradicting gcd(p,q)=1. Thus f=1. From gcd(a,b,c)=1, we conclude that e=1. Thus a=(p2−q2)q,b=q3,c=p3−2pq2. From 0∘<∠A+∠B=4∠B<180∘, we get 0∘<∠B<45∘ and hence 2<2cosB<2 implying that q<p<2q. The smallest positive integers satisfying this inequality is p=3,q=2. Since a+b+c=p2q+p(p2−2q2) and p2−2q2=1, we see that the minimum perimeter is achieved when p=3,q=2 and the value is 21.
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