Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 328 of 400 #928 of 1964

Problem 928

AIME late
Geometry Difficulty 5.8 Prove it

Example 1.3.5 The necessary and sufficient condition for a square to be divided into nn obtuse triangles is n6n \geqslant 6.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

Official solution

Proof:
Sufficiency: It can be constructed, as shown in Figure 181-8, a square can be dissected into 6 obtuse triangles, and any obtuse triangle can always be divided into two obtuse triangles.
Necessity: First, find the invariant relationship in any obtuse triangle dissection.
Classify the dissection points of the dissection method: dissection points on the boundary of the square or on a side of a dissection triangle but not at the vertex of the triangle are called first-class dissection points; dissection points not on the side of a triangle are called second-class dissection points.
In Figure 1-9, F,G,HF, G, H are first-class dissection points, and EE is a second-class dissection point.
For any obtuse triangle dissection of a square, it divides the square into nn obtuse triangles. Suppose this dissection has rr first-class dissection points and ss second-class dissection points. Since a first-class dissection point can provide at most one obtuse angle, and a second-class dissection point can provide at most three obtuse angles, we have r+3snr+3 s \geqslant n.
Calculating the total degree of the interior angles of the nn dissection triangles in two ways, we get
n×180=r×180+s×360+4×90,n=r+2s+2. \begin{array}{c} n \times 180^{\circ}=r \times 180^{\circ}+s \times 360^{\circ}+4 \times 90^{\circ}, \\ n=r+2 s+2 . \end{array}

Therefore, s2,n2s+26s \geqslant 2, n \geqslant 2 s+2 \geqslant 6.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.