Triangle ABC0 has a right angle at C0. Its side lengths are pairwise relatively prime positive integers, and its perimeter is p. Let C1 be the foot of the altitude to AB, and for n≥2, let Cn be the foot of the altitude to Cn−2B in △Cn−2Cn−1B. The sum ∑n=2∞Cn−2Cn−1=6p. Find p.
解析
Solution 1
Do note that by counting the area in 2 ways, the first altitude is x=cab. By similar triangles, the common ratio is ρ=ca for each height, so by the geometric series formula, we have
6p=1−ρx=c−aab.
Writing p=a+b+c and clearing denominators, we get
13a=6p.
Thus p=13q, a=6q, and b+c=7q, i.e. c=7q−b. Plugging these into (1), we get 78q(q−b)=6bq, i.e., 14b=13q. Thus q=14r and p=182r, b=13r, a=84r, c=85r. Taking r=1 (since a,b,c are relatively prime) we get p=182.
Note this solution seems to have some serious errors
Solution 2
Note that by counting the area in 2 ways, the first altitude is cab. By similar triangles, the common ratio is ca for reach height, so by the geometric series formula, we have 6p=1−cacab. Multiplying by the denominator and expanding, the equation becomes cab=6a+6b+6c−c6a2−c6ab−6a. Cancelling 6a and multiplying by c yields ab=6bc+6c2−6a2−6ab, so 7ab=6bc+6b2 and 7a=6b+6c. Checking for Pythagorean triples gives 13,84, and 85, so p=13+84+85=182
Note: a more rigorous solution instead of checking for triples would be to substitute c=a2+b2 and heavily simplifying the equation. Eventually we are left with 13a=84b, and since a,b are relatively prime, we know a=84 and b=13. From here we can note that (13,84,85) is a pythagorean triple or again use the Pythagorean Theorem to find c=85. Thus, the answer is 182.
Solution modified/fixed from Shaddoll's solution.
Solution 3
We start by splitting the sum of all Cn−2Cn−1 into two parts: those where n−2 is odd and those where n−2 is even.
First consider the sum of the lengths of the segments for which n−2 is odd for each n≥2. The perimeters of these triangles can be expressed using p and ratios that result because of similar triangles. Considering triangles where n−2 is odd, we find that the perimeter for each such n is p(C0BCn−1Cn). Thus,
Setting a=C0B, b=C0A, and c=AB, we can now proceed as in Shaddoll's solution, and our answer is p=13+84+85=182.
Solution 4
Let a=BC0, b=AC0, and c=AB. Note that the total length of the red segments in the figure above is equal to the length of the blue segment times ba+c.
The desired sum is equal to the total length of the infinite path C0C1C2C3⋯, shown in red in the figure below. Since each of the triangles △C0C1C2,△C2C3C4,… on the left are similar, it follows that the total length of the red segments in the figure below is equal to the length of the blue segment times ba+c. In other words, we have that a(ba+c)=6p.
Guessing and checking Pythagorean triples reveals that a=84, b=13, c=85, and p=a+b+c=182 satisfies this equation.
Solution 5
This solution proceeds from 1−cacab=cc−acab=c−aab=6(a+b+c). Note the general from for a primitive pythagorean triple, m2−n2,2mn,m2+n2 and after substitution, letting a=m2−n2,b=2mn,c=m2+n2 into the previous equation simplifies down very nicely into m=13n. Thus a=168n2,b=26n2,c=170n2. Since we know all three side lengths are relatively prime, we must divide each by 2 and let n = 1 giving a=84,b=13,c=85 yielding p=a+b+c=182.
Alternate way to find a, b, and c (from VarunGotem) : 7a=6b+6c implies that 6b=7a−6c. Because a2+b2=c2, 36a2+(6b)2=36c2. Plugging in gives 85a2−84ac+36c2=36c2. Simplifying gives 85a−84c=0, and since a and c are relatively prime, a=84 and c=85. This means b=13 and p=13+84+85=182.
Solution 6
For this problem, first notice that its an infinite geometric series of 6(a+b+c)=c−bab if c is the hypotenuse. WLOG a,wecangeneralizeapythagoreantripleofx^2-y^2, 2xy, x^2+y^2.Letb=2xy,thenthisgeneralizationgives6(a+b+c)(c-b)=ab$
(x2−y2)2xy=6(2x2+2xy)(x−y)2(x+y)xy=6(x2+xy)(x−y)xy=6x(x−y)7xy=6x2y=76x
Now this is just clear. Let x=7m and y=6m for m to be a positive integer, the pythagorean triple is 13−84−85 which yields 182.