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Geometry Difficulty 8.5 Shortlist Find the answer

A circle ω\omega with radius 11 is given. A collection TT of triangles is called [i]good[/i], if the following conditions hold:
[list=1]
[*] each triangle from TT is inscribed in ω\omega;
[*] no two triangles from TT have a common interior point.
[/list]
Determine all positive real numbers tt such that, for each positive integer nn, there exists a good collection of nn triangles, each of perimeter greater than tt.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

Consider a circle ω\omega with radius 11. We will determine the set of all positive real numbers tt such that for each positive integer nn, there exists a \emph{good} collection TT of nn triangles inscribed in ω\omega, where each triangle has a perimeter greater than tt. A \emph{good} collection of triangles satisfies the following conditions:

1. Each triangle from TT is inscribed in ω\omega.
2. No two triangles from TT have a common interior point.

Since each triangle in TT is inscribed in a circle ω\omega with radius 11, the maximum possible perimeter of any such triangle is achieved when the triangle becomes an equilateral triangle. The side length ss of an equilateral triangle inscribed in a circle of radius 11 is s=3s = \sqrt{3}, and the perimeter PP of an equilateral triangle is given by:
P=3s=33. P = 3s = 3\sqrt{3}.

For the set of all nn triangles to be good, their interior must not overlap. To satisfy this condition, each triangle can be made smaller by reducing the arc between successive vertices of the triangles on the circle. However, as we consider an infinitely large number of nn triangles, we can approach the situation where each triangle becomes a chord of the circle, and thus each triangle will have a perimeter arbitrarily close to 2π2\pi, the circumference of the circle (since 2π6.2832\pi \approx 6.283).

Hence, to ensure the existence of a good collection of nn triangles for each positive integer nn, the condition t<4t < 4 must hold. This is because inscribed triangles with perimeters converging to 2π2\pi can be configured for any finite nn, respecting the non-overlapping constraint. Finally:

If t4t \leq 4, then nn triangles of perimeter greater than tt can still be configured into ω\omega. Therefore, the range for tt allowing the existence of such collections for any nn is:
0<t4. 0 < t \leq 4.

Thus, the complete set of positive real numbers tt is:
0<t4. \boxed{0 < t \leq 4}.

This solution verifies that for every positive integer nn, it is feasible to construct triangles in TT with perimeter >t> t, with tt up to 44.

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