For which $n\ge 2$ is it possible to find $n$ pairwise non-similar triangles $A_1, A_2,\ldots , A_n$ such that each of them can be divided into $n$ pairwise non-similar triangles, each of them similar to one of $A_1,A_2 ,\ldots ,A_n$?
Problem
Source: Baltic Way 2009
Tags: geometry, similar triangles, geometry proposed
lin
02.03.2011 03:29
Who can post the official solution ? Thanks.
_el_doopa
05.11.2013 11:11
Not official:
For each $n \geq 2$.
Let $\alpha+\beta < \frac{\pi}{2}$, we denote by $\triangle(\alpha,\beta)$ a triangle with angles $\alpha,\beta$. We write $\triangle_1 = \triangle_2+\triangle_3$ if $\triangle_1$ can be cut into two triangles similar to $\triangle_2,\triangle_3$ respectively.
Let us take small enough $\alpha << 1$. Our triangles are $\triangle(\alpha,\alpha),\triangle(\alpha,2\alpha),\ldots,\triangle(\alpha,n\alpha)$.
Using one simple cut we can easily get $\triangle(\alpha,k\alpha) = \triangle(\alpha,(k+1)\alpha)+\triangle(\alpha,k\alpha)$
and $\triangle(\alpha,k\alpha) = \triangle(\alpha,(k-1)\alpha)+\triangle(\alpha,k\alpha)$, for each $k\leq n$.
Using this formulas recursively we get
$\triangle(\alpha,k\alpha) = \triangle(\alpha,\alpha)+\triangle(\alpha,2\alpha)+\cdots+\triangle(\alpha,n\alpha)$, for each $1 \leq k \leq n$.