Interpret this geometrically, as a statement about parallelograms.

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Homework Statement



Prove that

|x+y|2 + |x-y|2 = 2|x|2 + 2|y|2

if x and y are elements of ℝk

Homework Equations



Ordinary stuff

The Attempt at a Solution




Got the first part, but I don't understand the parallelogram thing yet. The little sketch I drew didn't help.

screen-capture-1-34.png
 
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In a parallelogram the sum of squares of sides equals the sum of squares of its diagonals
 
Jamin2112 said:
Prove that

|x+y|2 + |x-y|2 = 2|x|2 + 2|y|2

if x and y are elements of ℝk
since [itex]\left|X+Y\right|[/itex] and [itex]\left|X-Y\right|[/itex] are diagonals of the parallelogram with [itex]\left|X\right|[/itex]and [itex]\left|Y\right|[/itex] as the sides , it states the property
"In a parallelogram The sum of squares of diagonals equals the sum of squares of the sides"
 
Last edited:
vrmuth said:
since [itex]\left|X+Y\right|[/itex] and [itex]\left|X-Y\right|[/itex] are diagonals of the parallelogram with [itex]\left|X\right|[/itex]and [itex]\left|Y\right|[/itex] as the sides , it states the property
"In a parallelogram The sum of squares of diagonals equals the sum of squares of the sides"

Drew the picture again. Now I understand it. Indeed: On a parallelogram, the sum of squares of diagonals equals the sum of squares of the sides