Van Schooten's theorem

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{\displaystyle |PA|=|PB|+|PC|} Satz von van schooten.svg

Van Schooten's theorem, named after the Dutch mathematician Frans van Schooten, describes a property of equilateral triangles. It states:

For an equilateral triangle with a point on its circumcircle the length of longest of the three line segments connecting with the vertices of the triangle equals the sum of the lengths of the other two.

The theorem is a consequence of Ptolemy's theorem for concyclic quadrilaterals. Let be the side length of the equilateral triangle and the longest line segment. The triangle's vertices together with form a concyclic quadrilateral and hence Ptolemy's theorem yields:

Dividing the last equation by delivers Van Schooten's theorem.

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