Bulging Triangles: Generalization of Reuleaux Triangles
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Bulging Triangles: Generalization of Reuleaux Triangles Norihiro Someyama∗ ∗Shin-yo-ji Buddhist Temple, Tokyo, Japan [email protected] ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7579-5352 Abstract We introduce a bulging triangle like the generalization of the Reuleaux triangle. We may be able to propose various ways to bulge a triangle, but this paper presents the way so that its vertices are the same as them of the original triangle. We find some properties and theorems of our bulging triangles. In particular, we investigate, via calculus, whether basic facts such as triangle inequalities and Pythagorean theorem hold for bulging triangles. Keywords: Reuleaux triangle, Covexity, Triangle inequality, Pythagorean theorem. 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification: 51M04, 51M05, 51N20. 1 Introduction • the \triangle inequality" holds, i.e., the sum of the lengths of any two \round sides" is There is the Reuleaux triangle (also called the greater than the length of the remaining one spherical triangle) as one of famous and notable \round side", figures in geometry. It is named after F. Reuleaux (1829-1905), a German mechanical engineer. He • the three \round sides" are equal and the considered a figure in which an equilateral triangle common length is πa=3 ; 1:047a if the length is bulged in a natural way so that it has a constant of one side of 4ABC is a, p p width. To be more precise, it is defined as follows: 2 2 • its area is (π − 3)a =2 ; 1:628 × ( 3a =4) Let 4ABC be an equilateral triangle consisting (i.e., about 1.628 times the original area) if of vertices A, B and C. It namely holds that the length of one side of 4ABC is a. jABj = jBCj = jCAj Moreover, Reuleaux triangles are widely applied in various fields and there is no end to the list. where AB denotes the side whose end points are A See, e.g., [2] for the benefits and applications of and B, jABj denotes its length, and the other edges Reuleaux triangles. It is also well known that the are similar. We have a bulging equilateral triangle Reuleaux triangle is one of solutions for the Kakeya arXiv:2108.07725v1 [math.GM] 11 Aug 2021 like Figure 1 by drawing arcs with center C and problem (see, e.g., [1] for more information). radius BC, with center A and radius CA and with Our aim in this paper is to introduce the \gen- center B and radius AB. eralized" Reuleaux triangle with different lengths The most notable property of the Reuleaux tri- on the three \round sides" and study the proper- angle is that it can rotate completely while being ties. within the square and touching all four sides of the square. This property has been applied to archi- 2 Main Topics tectural and engineering technologies. Any Reuleaux triangle has some trivial mathe- 2.1 Definition of Bulging Triangles matical properties, e.g., Let 4ABC be a triangle. For convenience, think • it is (strictly) convex, of this as an acute triangle. We would like to make 1 a figure that 4ABC is bulged by the following 2.2 Basic Properties of Bulging Trian- way. Such a figure is called the bulging trian- gles gle (stemmed) from 4ABC in this paper. Proposition 2.1. The AB-center P of the bulging Consider the perpendicular bisector ` of side ( AB, and find out the intersection point P of an- triangle 4ABC is on the longer of the remaining other side and `. Then, remark that P lies on the two sides BC; CA. In other words, P is the in- longer (BC in the case of Figure 2) of the remain- ternally dividing point of either BC or CA. The ing two sides BC and CA. This fact is almost clear, BC-center and CA-center are similar. but we will prove it later (Proposition 2.1). Deter- Proof. Assume \ABC < \BAC and denote by P mine intersection points Q and R in the same way the point such that jAPj = jBPj. Then, for sides BC and CA. Here each P, Q, R is, of course, uniquely determined. Note that \BAP = \ABC < \BAC and so P is on BC. Since P is the AB-center of jAPj = jBPj; ( 4ABC, this completes the proof. jBQj = jCQj; The bulging triangle that dents at a vertex is jCRj = jARj: not ideal. We need to check the following fact. We obtain the \round side" of 4ABC by draw- ( Proposition 2.2. Let 4ABC be any bulging tri- ing the circular arc whose center and radius are P angle from 4ABC. and jAPj (= jBPj), respectively. The other \round ( sides" are similarly obtained. From the above, we 1) If 4ABC is acute, then 4ABC is convex; have been able to define the \bulging triangle" ( (Figure 3) that is naturally extended the Reuleaux 2) If 4ABC is right, then 4ABC is convex; triangle to the general case. We can treat vertices ( 3) If 4ABC is obtuse, then 4ABC is concave. of the original triangle as vertices of the bulging triangle. Proof. Without loss of generality, we can visualize ( In what follows, we set the following promises: 4ABC from 4ABC with \BCA = \R. Note that ( the BC-center and the CA-center match and the • We write 4 ABC for the bulging triangle common point is the middle point of AB. In other whose vertices are A, B and C. words, BC+f CAg (i.e., the arc formed by connecting ( ( • Its \round sides" are called edges of 4ABC BCf and CA)g coincides with semi-circular arc BA and are denoted by AB,g BCf and CA.g Their containing point C. By virtue of the above, the lengths are denoted by jABgj, jBCf j and jCAgj, proof is easily obtained. respectively. In response to the result of Proposition 2.2, we • Three points P, Q and R defined above are exclusively consider bulging triangles from acute or called centers associated with edges of right-angled triangles in this paper. ( 4ABC. We often abbreviate such P as the For convenience, we put the following term. AB-center and the others are similar. Definition 2.1. Let 4ABC be a right-angled tri- angle with BCA = R. The bulging triangle from • The radius (i.e., AP, BP, and so on) of the \ \ ( sector consisting of A, B and P is called the this 4ABC is denoted by 4RBCA. The others are AB-radius. The others are similar. similar. Such a bulging triangle is called the right- angled bulging triangle in this paper. In partic- ( • The \length of the radius" is simply abbrevi- ular, we call 4RBCA the isosceles right-angled ated as \the radius" throughout this paper. bulging triangle if jBCj = jCAj. Remark 2.1. If 4ABC is an equilateral triangle, We study the edges of a bulging triangle from the AB-center is C, the BC-center is A and the the famous right triangle. In particular, the result CA-center is B. Hence, the bulging triangle defined for an isosceles right-angled bulging triangle can be above is certainly an extension of the Reuleaux tri- shown to be exactly the same as the conventional angle. one. 2 ( Proposition 2.3. For 4RBCA with jBCj = a, it Proof. Denote by P and Q the AB-center and CA- ( follows that center of 4 ABC, respectively (see Figure 5). It is obviously that QP k BC. Considering the per- 1) one has pendicular bisector L, passing through point A, of p BC, it follows that Q is the point of symmetry of jABgj : jBCf j : jCAgj = 2 : 1 : 1 P with respect to L. B is also, of course, the point if \ABC = π=4, of symmetry of C with respect to L. Hence, the claim clearly holds. This completes the proof. 2) one has p p Proposition 2.5. Suppose that 4ABC obeys jABj : jBCj : jCAj = 4 : 3 : 2 3 g f g π 0 < \ABC < \BCA ≤ : (2.4) if \ABC = π=3. 2 ( Proof. We leave the proof of 1) to the reader and Then, 4ABC from such 4ABC satisfies that prove only 2). jCAj < jABj: (2.5) Since jBCj = a and \ABC = π=3, we have g g p π jABj = 2a; jCAj = 3a; BAC = : Proof. Put \ 6 a := jBCj; b := jCAj; c := jABj (2.6) Denoting by P thep AB-center, P lies on CA, the AB-radius is 2a= 3 and \APB = 2π=3. Hence we and have p α := BAC; β := ABC; γ := BCA: (2.7) 4 3 \ \ \ jABgj = πa: (2.1) 9 We prove tha claim by dividing into two patterns. (See Figure 4.) Denoting by Q the BC-center, Q i) The case of α ≤ β: lies on AB, the BC-radius is a and \BPC = π=3. Hence we have By noting that β < γ, we have 1 b jBCf j = πa: (2.2) jCAgj = (π − 2α) 3 2 cos α Denoting by R the CA-center, R = Q, the CA- and radius is a and \CPA = 2π=3. Hence we have c jABgj = (π − 2α): 2 2 cos α jCAgj = πa: (2.3) 3 From β < γ again, we obtain b < c. This (2.1)-(2.3) imply the claim, so the proof is com- implies (2.5). plete. ii) The case of β ≤ α: We investigate the relationship between the By noting that β < γ, we have edge of the bulging triangle and the angle of the b original triangle. Take note that we can meet ex- jCAgj = (π − 2α) actly the same results for a usual triangle. 2 cos α ( and Proposition 2.4.