Prove Equilateral Triangle from Cosine Equality

In summary, to prove that a triangle is equilateral using cosine equality, one can use the Law of Cosines to show that all three sides are equal. Cosine equality states that if two angles of a triangle are equal, then the sides opposite those angles are also equal. This concept is related to equilateral triangles since all three angles are equal in an equilateral triangle. It is possible to prove an equilateral triangle using only cosine equality, but there are alternative methods such as using the properties of equiangular triangles or the Pythagorean theorem. In real-world applications, cosine equality is used in fields such as engineering, physics, and navigation to calculate measurements in different shapes and structures.
  • #1
anemone
Gold Member
MHB
POTW Director
3,883
115
Prove that if in a triangle $ABC$ we have the following equality that holds

$2\cos A \cos B \cos C + \cos A \cos B + \cos B \cos C + \cos C \cos A = 1$

then the triangle will be an equilateral triangle.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
  • #2
anemone said:
Prove that if in a triangle $ABC$ we have the following equality that holds

$S=2\cos A \cos B \cos C + \cos A \cos B + \cos B \cos C + \cos C \cos A = 1---(1)$

then the triangle will be an equilateral triangle.
my solution:
if $(1)$ is true,it is easy to see that triangle $ABC$ must be an acute triangle
(if one of those 3 angles A,or B, or C $\geq 90^o$ then (1) will fail)
that is $0<cos A,cos B,cos C<1$
using $AP\geq GP$
$S\geq 4\sqrt[4]{2cos^3Acos^3Bcos^3C}=1$
(equality occurs at $A=B=C=60^o$)
so it is an equilateral triangle
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Thanks for participating, Albert!

My solution:

In any triangle $ABC$, we have the following equality that holds:

$1-2\cos A \cos B \cos C=\cos^2 A+\cos^2 B+\cos^2 C$

This turns the given equality to become

$ \cos^2 A+\cos^2 B+\cos^2 C=1-2\cos A \cos B \cos C=\cos A \cos B + \cos B \cos C + \cos C \cos A$

For any angle where $0\lt A,\,B,\,C\lt 180^\circ$, the relation $\cos A \gt \cos B \gt \cos C$ must hold, Now, by applying the rearrangement inequality on $\cos^2 A+\cos^2 B+\cos^2 C$ leads to:

$\cos^2 A+\cos^2 B+\cos^2 C\ge \cos A \cos B + \cos B \cos C + \cos C \cos A$, equality occurs iff $\cos A=\cos B=\cos C$, i.e. $A=B=C$, when that triangle is equilateral, and we're hence done with the proof.
 

1. How can you prove that a triangle is equilateral using cosine equality?

To prove that a triangle is equilateral using cosine equality, we need to show that all three sides of the triangle are equal. This can be done by using the Law of Cosines, which states that for a triangle with sides a, b, and c and angles A, B, and C, the following equation holds true: c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2abcosC. If this equation holds true for all three sides of the triangle, then the triangle is equilateral.

2. What is cosine equality and how is it related to equilateral triangles?

Cosine equality is a mathematical concept that states that if two angles of a triangle are equal, then the sides opposite those angles are also equal. This is related to equilateral triangles because in an equilateral triangle, all three angles are equal, therefore, all three sides are also equal. This can be proven using the Law of Cosines.

3. Can you prove an equilateral triangle using only cosine equality?

Yes, an equilateral triangle can be proven using only cosine equality. As mentioned before, the Law of Cosines states that if the equation c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2abcosC holds true for all three sides of a triangle, then the triangle is equilateral. Therefore, by using cosine equality to show that all three sides of a triangle are equal, we can prove that the triangle is equilateral.

4. Are there any alternative ways to prove an equilateral triangle besides using cosine equality?

Yes, there are other methods to prove that a triangle is equilateral. Some other commonly used methods include using the properties of equiangular triangles, proving that all three angles of the triangle are equal, and using the Pythagorean theorem to show that all three sides are equal.

5. How is the concept of cosine equality used in real-world applications?

The concept of cosine equality is used in various fields, such as engineering, physics, and navigation. It is used to calculate distances, angles, and other measurements in different shapes and structures. For example, in surveying, cosine equality is used to measure the height of a tree or a building by using the angle of elevation and the distance from the object. It is also used in navigation to calculate distances and directions between two points on a map or globe.

Similar threads

  • General Math
Replies
1
Views
656
  • General Math
Replies
2
Views
922
Replies
1
Views
582
Replies
1
Views
877
Replies
1
Views
679
Replies
1
Views
682
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
890
Back
Top