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Triangle bisector (Posted on 2020-10-18) Difficulty: 3 of 5
In triangle ABC, we have three edges with lengths BC=a, CA=b, AB=c, and 2c>a>b>c. P and Q are two points of the edges of triangle ABC, and the straight line PQ divides the triangle into two parts with the same area. Find the minimum value of the length of the line segment PQ.

No Solution Yet Submitted by Danish Ahmed Khan    
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Solution Solution with assumptions | Comment 1 of 2
Two things I assume but didn't prove:
1) P and Q should be on the londer sides of the triangle.
2) PQ is minimized if PC=QC.

Let P be on AC and Q on BC.  Call PC=QC=x

The area of ABC = 0.5ab*sin(C)
The area of PQC = 0.5xx*sin(C)
From which ab=2x^2

From the law of cosines for angle C
cos(C)=(a^2+b^2-c^2)/(2ab)

Using the law of cosines for PQ:
PQ^2 = x^2 + x^2 - 2xx*Cos(C)
Substitute to get
PQ^2 = ab - ab*Cos(C)
PQ^2 = ab - (a^2+b^2-c^2)/2

this can be rewritten as
PQ^2 = (c^2-(a-b)^2)/2



  Posted by Jer on 2020-10-20 08:10:51
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