Let the distances from point P to the four faces of the regular tetrahedron ABCD be d1,d2,d3,d4.
Let xi=hdi, where h is the height of the regular tetrahedron. Then ∑i=14xi=1.
Since the 14 pieces divided by T include 4 tetrahedra with volumes xi3 each. Additionally, there are 4 parallelepipeds with volumes 6∏j=i1⩽j⩽4xj each (i=1,2,3,4). For example, a parallelepiped can be formed by the 3 edges starting from A, and by symmetry, 4 parallelepipeds can be formed. Thus,
f(P)=1−i=1∑4xi3−61⩽i<j<k⩽4∑xixjxk
Clearly, f(P)⩾0.
Furthermore, assume x1+x2⩽21. Let x1+x2=t⩽21,x1x2=u⩾0,x3x4= v⩾0. By ∑i=14xi=1, we have
∑i=14xi3=(t3−3tu)+(1−t)3−3(1−t)v∑1⩽i<j<k⩽4xixjxk=(1−t)u+tv
Therefore,
1−f(P)=1−3t+3t2+3(2−3t)u+3(3t−1)v⩾1−3t+3t2+3(3t−1)v
(1) If 31<t⩽21, then
3t−1⩾0,1−f(P)⩾1−3t+3t2⩾41
The equality holds when t=21,u=v=0, i.e., when P is the midpoint of an edge.
(2) If 0⩽t⩽31, then 3t−1⩽0, and v=x3x4⩽4(x3+x4)2=4(1−t)2; so
1−f(P)⩾1−3t+3t2+3(3t−1)⋅4(1−t)2=43(3t2+1−3t)t+41⩾41
Therefore, in either case, we have 0⩽f(P)⩽43.
Moreover, when P is a vertex of the tetrahedron, f(P)=0; when P is the midpoint of an edge of the tetrahedron, f(P)= 43
In summary, the range of f(P) is 0⩽f(P)⩽43.