Problem

Source: Mexico National Olympiad 2021 Problem 1

Tags: arithmetic sequence, rectangle, algebra



The real positive numbers $a_1, a_2,a_3$ are three consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression, and similarly, $b_1, b_2, b_3$ are distinct real positive numbers and consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression. Is it possible to use three segments of lengths $a_1, a_2, a_3$ as bases, and other three segments of lengths $b_1, b_2, b_3$ as altitudes, to construct three rectangles of equal area ?