Calabi triangle

Last updated
Calabi triangle.svg

The Calabi triangle is a special triangle found by Eugenio Calabi and defined by its property of having three different placements for the largest square that it contains. [1] It is an isosceles triangle which is obtuse with an irrational but algebraic ratio between the lengths of its sides and its base. [2]

Contents

Definition

Consider the largest square that can be placed in an arbitrary triangle. It may be that such a square could be positioned in the triangle in more than one way. If the largest such square can be positioned in three different ways, then the triangle is either an equilateral triangle or the Calabi triangle. [3] [4] Thus, the Calabi triangle may be defined as a triangle that is not equilateral and has three placements for its largest square.

Shape

The triangle ABC is isosceles which has the same length of sides as AB = AC. If the ratio of the base to either leg is x, we can set that AB = AC = 1, BC = x. Then we can consider the following three cases:

case 1) ABC is acute triangle
The condition is .
In this case x = 1 is valid for equilateral triangle.
case 2) ABC is right triangle
The condition is .
In this case no value is valid.
case 3) ABC is obtuse triangle
The condition is .
In this case the Calabi triangle is valid for the largest positive root of at ( OEIS:  A046095 ).
Example of answer
Example figure of Calabi triangle 01 Example figure of Calabi triangle 01.svg
Example figure of Calabi triangle 01

Consider the case of AB = AC = 1, BC = x. Then

Let a base angle be θ and a square be DEFG on base BC with its side length as a. Let H be the foot of the perpendicular drawn from the apex A to the base. Then

Then HB = x/2 and HE = a/2, so EB = x - a/2.

From △DEB ∽ △AHB,

case 1) ABC is acute triangle

Example figure of Calabi triangle 02 Example figure of Calabi triangle 02.svg
Example figure of Calabi triangle 02

Let IJKL be a square on side AC with its side length as b. From △ABC ∽ △IBJ,

From △JKC ∽ △AHC,

Then

Therefore, if two squares are congruent,

In this case,

Therefore , it means that ABC is equilateral triangle.

case 2) ABC is right triangle

Example figure of Calabi triangle 03 Example figure of Calabi triangle 03.svg
Example figure of Calabi triangle 03

In this case, , so

Then no value is valid.

case 3) ABC is obtuse triangle

Example figure of Calabi triangle 04 Example figure of Calabi triangle 04.svg
Example figure of Calabi triangle 04

Let IJKA be a square on base AC with its side length as b.

From △AHC ∽ △JKC,

Therefore, if two squares are congruent,

In this case,

So, we can input the value of tanθ,

In this case, , we can get the following equation:

Root of Calabi's equation

If x is the largest positive root of Calabi's equation:

we can calculate the value of x by following methods.

Newton's method

We can set the function as follows:

The function f is continuous and differentiable on and

Then f is monotonically increasing function and by Intermediate value theorem, the Calabi's equation f(x) = 0 has unique solution in open interval .

The value of x is calculated by Newton's method as follows:

Newton's method for the root of Calabi's equation
NOitaration value
x01.41421356237309504880168872420969807856967187537694...
x11.58943369375323596617308283187888791370090306159374...
x21.55324943049375428807267665439782489231871295592784...
x31.55139234383942912142613029570413117306471589987689...
x41.55138752458074244056538641010106649611908076010328...
x51.55138752454832039226341994813293555945836732015691...
x61.55138752454832039226195251026462381516359470986821...
x71.55138752454832039226195251026462381516359170380388...

Cardano's method

The value of x can expressed with complex numbers by using Cardano's method:

[3] [5] [lower-alpha 1]

Viète's method

The value of x can also be expressed without complex numbers by using Viète's method:

[2]

Lagrange's method

The value of x has continued fraction representation by Lagrange's method as follows:
[1, 1, 1, 4, 2, 1, 2, 1, 5, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 390, ...] =

. [3] [6] [7] [lower-alpha 2]

base angle and apex angle

The Calabi triangle is obtuse with base angle θ and apex angle ψ as follows:

See also

Footnotes

Notes

  1. If we set the polar form of complex number, we can calculate the value of x as follows:
    Then this Cardano's method is equivalent as Viète's method.
  2. If a continued fraction [a0, a1, a2, ...] are found, with numerators h1, h2, ... and denominators k1, k2, ... then the relevant recursive relation is that of Gaussian brackets:
    hn = anhn − 1 + hn − 2,
    kn = ankn − 1 + kn − 2.
    The successive convergents are given by the formula
    hn/kn = anhn − 1 + hn − 2/ankn − 1 + kn − 2.
    If the continued fraction is
    [1, 1, 1, 4, 2, 1, 2, 1, 5, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 390, 1, 1, 2, 11, 6, 2, 1, 1, 56, 1, 4, 3, 1, 1, 6, 9, 3, 2, 1, 8, 10, 9, 25, 2, 1, 3, 1, 3, 5, 2, 35, 1, 1, 1, 41, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1, 6, 2, 1, 4, 11, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 4, 1, 7, 2, 2, 2, 36, 7, 22, 1, 2, 1, ...], [8]
    we can calculate the rational approxmation of x is as follows:
    The value of numerators hn and denominators kn of continued fraction
    nanhnkn
    -2
    01
    -1
    10
    0 111
    1 121
    2 132
    3 4149
    4 23120
    5 14529
    6 212178
    7 1166107
    8 5951613
    9 220681333
    10 130191946
    11 3111257171
    12 1141449117
    13 12526916288
    14 39098690546361437
    15 198943236377725
    16 11976337712739162
    17 24942107731856049
    18 11563395224363155701
    19 634297924212210790255
    20 274229800664784736211
    21 1108527724876995526466
    22 11827575255311780262677
    23 561034294915455666690236378
    24 11052570668008678470499055
    25 452445775874873380572232598
    26 31678630343046910820187196849
    27 12203088101795614200759429447
    28 13881718444842525020946626296
    29 6254933987708506164326439187223
    30 923332230738249791503958899311303
    31 372546032091834434676203137121132
    32 21684242949219186510856365173553567
    33 12409703270137530815532568310674699
    34 8209618691103194329135116911658951159
    35 1021202839437333185981366701684900186289
    36 91929217418470306171112435432075760627760
    37 25484424638561309861373312252503578915880289
    38 2988141451307322784457636940439233592388338
    39 11472566089868632645830949192942812508268627
    40 354058397209132207219473484519267671117194219
    41 168784058107818533677774433712210483625462846
    42 32604105715325878082527816785655899121993582757
    43 513708369157707575749416788361991706093593376631
    44 2300208440307410295813612193509639311309180336019
    45 35106443791023364361109705876861199367601914905137296
    46 1109445875426438464067841997054709006913224085473315
    47 12158896664498028251775478613915908374515138990610611
    48 13253355418762412892453898520970617381428363076083926
    49 411355464688337569568423853171873711221013078025110051577
    50 11387998242525193697348392156894681838394506388186135503
    51 241314611733879569631206374832663074897802090801482322583
    52 296509205893011076235896671226220831633998687991150780669
    53 1137823817626890645867103046058883906531800778792633103252
    54 23721568411467923679701027633223988644697600245576416987173
    55 28821374999204753818073085726956861195927001269945467077598
    56 3301856934090821851339202848139194572232478604055412818219967
    57 1390070684082869389519933705408251433428405605325358285297565
    58 418621396704222994094189376697711200305946101025356845959410227
    59 241143500249274682083578090449502652045320607656039050204118019
    60 159764896953497676177767467147213852351266708681395896163528246
    61 1100908397202772358261345557596716504396587316337434946367646265
    62 11606732941562700344391130247439210356747854025018830842531174511
    63 12615816913590423927004585823406316861144441341356265788898820776
    64 39454183682333972125404887717658160940181178049087628209227636839
    65 112070000595924396052409473541064477801325619390443893998126457615
    66 6818741872578803484398617289640445527748134894391750992197986382529
    67 217581837511168509293213293146915341133297595408173945878394099222673
    68 125769256236956544137199466043319791661045730302565696870592085605202
    69 4120658862458994685842011157320194507777480516618436733360762441643481
    70 1113530167432858980883993221965654592987213331413105369763838978943683493
    71 114736756057448927742413333538856537994990811929723806497199741385326974
    72 2430036795477568363688198890433676687277194955272552982758238461714337441
    73 21007441151529626004800531116255918753649380722474829772013676664814001856
    74 11437477947007194368488730006689595440926575677747382754771915126528339297
    75 124449190985368203732892611229455141931575956400222212526785591791342341153
    76 61610699253822811660822429674436268059810382314079080657915485465874582386215
    77 35076589671322117019796215135603355598732722898637464186273241989415089499798
    78 16687288925144928680618644810039623658543105212716544844188727455289671886013
    79 111763878596467045700414859945642979257275828111354009030461969444704761385811
    80 1184511675216119743810335047556826029157118933324070553874650696899994433271824
    81 1302150461180790200814483647013255821729194761435424562905112666344699194657635
    82 1486662136396909944624818694570081850886313694759495116779763363244693627929459
    83 1788812597577700145439302341583337672615508456194919679684876029589392822587094
    84 436419125267077105263820280609034325413462347519539173835519267481602264918277835
    85 144307251242854106718213304024867702139612855975734093515204143511191657740864929
    86 73465698839670558522913134087831082403907322339349677828441948272059943869104332338
    87 27374470191769658113008401215910841829210747534675089750399100687631079395949529605
    88 2182146392232098747489299365196527660623287117408699857329240149647322102661003391548
    89 2438037486381894076108682742552163739538681282352074804408879399982275284717956312701
    90 361595149590198028548740187809707442228401580310282083392816048898549009232352507430648784
    91 711209850880024389248792182942207311972764930272256935824516751169243046901752269970854189
    92 2224821186895073459202216821253826830562923004471599934671532184574621896041070902446789440942
    93 125942171983075898127096039548047561760199497491672191607356701325791139087972654716760295131
    94 276705530861225255456408900349921954083321999454944317886245587226204174217016211880310031204
    95 1102647702844301153583504939897969515843521496946616509493602288551995313304988866597070326335
    The rational approxmation of x is h95/k95 and an error bounds ε is as follows:

Citations

  1. Calabi, Eugenio (3 Nov 1997). "Outline of Proof Regarding Squares Wedged in Triangle". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  2. 1 2 Stewart 2004, p. 15.
  3. 1 2 3 Weisstein, Eric W. "Calabi's Triangle". MathWorld .
  4. Conway, J.H.; Guy, R.K. (1996). "Calabi's Triangle". The Book of Numbers. New York: Springer-Verlag. p. 206.
  5. Stewart 2004, pp. 7–10.
  6. Joseph-Louis, Lagrange (1769), "Sur la résolution des équations numériques", Mémoires de l'Académie royale des Sciences et Belles-lettres de Berlin, 23 - Œuvres II, p.539-578.
  7. Joseph-Louis, Lagrange (1770), "Additions au mémoire sur la résolution des équations numériques", Mémoires de l'Académie royale des Sciences et Belles-lettres de Berlin, 24 - Œuvres II, p.581-652.
  8. (sequence A046096 in the OEIS)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euler's formula</span> Complex exponential in terms of sine and cosine

Euler's formula, named after Leonhard Euler, is a mathematical formula in complex analysis that establishes the fundamental relationship between the trigonometric functions and the complex exponential function. Euler's formula states that, for any real number x, one has where e is the base of the natural logarithm, i is the imaginary unit, and cos and sin are the trigonometric functions cosine and sine respectively. This complex exponential function is sometimes denoted cis x. The formula is still valid if x is a complex number, and is also called Euler's formula in this more general case.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trigonometric functions</span> Functions of an angle

In mathematics, the trigonometric functions are real functions which relate an angle of a right-angled triangle to ratios of two side lengths. They are widely used in all sciences that are related to geometry, such as navigation, solid mechanics, celestial mechanics, geodesy, and many others. They are among the simplest periodic functions, and as such are also widely used for studying periodic phenomena through Fourier analysis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperbolic functions</span> Collective name of 6 mathematical functions

In mathematics, hyperbolic functions are analogues of the ordinary trigonometric functions, but defined using the hyperbola rather than the circle. Just as the points (cos t, sin t) form a circle with a unit radius, the points (cosh t, sinh t) form the right half of the unit hyperbola. Also, similarly to how the derivatives of sin(t) and cos(t) are cos(t) and –sin(t) respectively, the derivatives of sinh(t) and cosh(t) are cosh(t) and +sinh(t) respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverse trigonometric functions</span> Inverse functions of sin, cos, tan, etc.

In mathematics, the inverse trigonometric functions are the inverse functions of the trigonometric functions. Specifically, they are the inverses of the sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant functions, and are used to obtain an angle from any of the angle's trigonometric ratios. Inverse trigonometric functions are widely used in engineering, navigation, physics, and geometry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trigonometric substitution</span> Technique of integral evaluation

In mathematics, a trigonometric substitution replaces a trigonometric function for another expression. In calculus, trigonometric substitutions are a technique for evaluating integrals. In this case, an expression involving a radical function is replaced with a trigonometric one. Trigonometric identities may help simplify the answer. Like other methods of integration by substitution, when evaluating a definite integral, it may be simpler to completely deduce the antiderivative before applying the boundaries of integration.

In probability theory, the Borel–Kolmogorov paradox is a paradox relating to conditional probability with respect to an event of probability zero. It is named after Émile Borel and Andrey Kolmogorov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theta function</span> Special functions of several complex variables

In mathematics, theta functions are special functions of several complex variables. They show up in many topics, including Abelian varieties, moduli spaces, quadratic forms, and solitons. As Grassmann algebras, they appear in quantum field theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tangent half-angle formula</span> Relates the tangent of half of an angle to trigonometric functions of the entire angle

In trigonometry, tangent half-angle formulas relate the tangent of half of an angle to trigonometric functions of the entire angle.

This is a table of orthonormalized spherical harmonics that employ the Condon-Shortley phase up to degree . Some of these formulas are expressed in terms of the Cartesian expansion of the spherical harmonics into polynomials in x, y, z, and r. For purposes of this table, it is useful to express the usual spherical to Cartesian transformations that relate these Cartesian components to and as

In calculus, the Leibniz integral rule for differentiation under the integral sign, named after Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, states that for an integral of the form where and the integrands are functions dependent on the derivative of this integral is expressible as where the partial derivative indicates that inside the integral, only the variation of with is considered in taking the derivative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sine and cosine</span> Fundamental trigonometric functions

In mathematics, sine and cosine are trigonometric functions of an angle. The sine and cosine of an acute angle are defined in the context of a right triangle: for the specified angle, its sine is the ratio of the length of the side that is opposite that angle to the length of the longest side of the triangle, and the cosine is the ratio of the length of the adjacent leg to that of the hypotenuse. For an angle , the sine and cosine functions are denoted as and .

There are several equivalent ways for defining trigonometric functions, and the proofs of the trigonometric identities between them depend on the chosen definition. The oldest and most elementary definitions are based on the geometry of right triangles. The proofs given in this article use these definitions, and thus apply to non-negative angles not greater than a right angle. For greater and negative angles, see Trigonometric functions.

In mathematics, vector spherical harmonics (VSH) are an extension of the scalar spherical harmonics for use with vector fields. The components of the VSH are complex-valued functions expressed in the spherical coordinate basis vectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogers–Ramanujan continued fraction</span> Continued fraction closely related to the Rogers–Ramanujan identities

The Rogers–Ramanujan continued fraction is a continued fraction discovered by Rogers (1894) and independently by Srinivasa Ramanujan, and closely related to the Rogers–Ramanujan identities. It can be evaluated explicitly for a broad class of values of its argument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lituus (mathematics)</span> Spiral

The lituus spiral is a spiral in which the angle θ is inversely proportional to the square of the radius r.

Landen's transformation is a mapping of the parameters of an elliptic integral, useful for the efficient numerical evaluation of elliptic functions. It was originally due to John Landen and independently rediscovered by Carl Friedrich Gauss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integral of the secant function</span> Antiderivative of the secant function

In calculus, the integral of the secant function can be evaluated using a variety of methods and there are multiple ways of expressing the antiderivative, all of which can be shown to be equivalent via trigonometric identities,

Curvilinear coordinates can be formulated in tensor calculus, with important applications in physics and engineering, particularly for describing transportation of physical quantities and deformation of matter in fluid mechanics and continuum mechanics.

References