Right-Angled Triangle Inequality

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on proving the inequality $$\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}\le 17 − 12\sqrt{2}$$ for the sides of a right triangle where $c$ is the hypotenuse. The proof utilizes properties of right triangles and algebraic manipulation to establish the validity of the inequality. Participants in the discussion provided various approaches and insights into the geometric implications of the inequality, confirming its correctness through rigorous mathematical reasoning.

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anemone
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Show that if $a,\,b$ and $c$ are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle with hypotenuse $c$, then

$$\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}\le 17 − 12\sqrt{2}$$
 
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anemone said:
Show that if $a,\,b$ and $c$ are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle with hypotenuse $c$, then

$$\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}\le 17 − 12\sqrt{2}$$

From law of symmetry we shall have this shall have extremum at a = b giving $c= \sqrt{2}a$ and
$LHS = \frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)} = \frac{(\sqrt{2}-1)^2}{(\sqrt{2}+1)^2}= (\sqrt{2}-1)^4 = 17 - 12\sqrt{2}$
taking another point (a = 0, c=b) we get LHS = 0
hence $\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}\le 17 − 12\sqrt{2}$
 
kaliprasad said:
From law of symmetry we shall have this shall have extremum at a = b giving $c= \sqrt{2}a$ and
$LHS = \frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)} = \frac{(\sqrt{2}-1)^2}{(\sqrt{2}+1)^2}= (\sqrt{2}-1)^4 = 17 - 12\sqrt{2}$
taking another point (a = 0, c=b) we get LHS = 0
hence $\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}\le 17 − 12\sqrt{2}$
$a,b,\,\, and\,, c$ are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle
$a$ cannot be $"0"$
and more :
$c$ is hypotenuse ,we have $b<c$
 
Last edited:
Albert said:
$a,b,\,\, and\,, c$ are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle
$a$ cannot be $"0"$
and more :
$c$ is hypotenuse ,we have $b<c$

What you are telling is right. I took the limiting case
 
My solution:

We have $c^2−a^2=b^2 \implies c−a=\dfrac{b^2}{c+a}$.

By the similar token, we also have $c−b=\dfrac{a^2}{c+b}$, if we're going to replace these two into the original LHS of the inequality, we get:$$\begin{align*}\frac{(c − a)(c − b)}{(c + a)(c + b)}&=\frac{(b^2)(a^2)}{(c + a)^2(c + b)^2}\\&=\left(\frac{ab}{(c + a)(c + b)}\right)^2\\&=\left(\frac{ab}{c^2+c(a+b)+ab}\right)^2\\&=\left(\frac{1}{\dfrac{c^2}{ab}+\dfrac{c(a+b)}{ab}+1}\right)^2\\&\le \left(\frac{1}{\dfrac{c^2}{ab}+\dfrac{c(2\sqrt{ab})}{ab}+1}\right)^2\,\,\text{(by the AM-GM inequality)}\\& = \left(\frac{1}{\left(\dfrac{c}{\sqrt{ab}}\right)^2+\dfrac{2c}{\sqrt{ab}}+1}\right)^2\text{but from $c^2=a^2+b^2\ge 2ab$, we get $\dfrac{c}{\sqrt{ab}}\ge \sqrt{2}$}\\& \le \left(\frac{1}{\left(\sqrt{2}\right)^2+2\sqrt{2}+1}\right)^2\\&= \left(3-2\sqrt{2}\right)^2\\&= 17-12\sqrt{2}\,\,\,\text{Q.E.D.}\end{align*}$$
Equality occurs when $a=b$.
 

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