THE HEPTAGONAL TRIANGLE REVISITED

DANIEL SITARU, CLAUDIA NĂNUŢI - ROMANIA

Abstract. In this paper are proved the characteristic metric relationships in

the heptagonal triangle.
We call heptagonal triangle the obtuse scalene triangle whose vertices coincide
with the first, second and fourth vertices of a regular heptagon (from an arbitrary
starting vertex).
Thus its sides coincide with one side and the adjacent shorter and longer diagonals
of the regular heptagon.
Lemma 1.
If in ∆ABC; a < b < c; µ(B) = 2µ(A); µ(C) = 2µ(B) then: b2 = a2 + ac;
c2 = b2 + ba.
Proof.
µ(B) = 2µ(A) ⇒ sin B = sin 2A
b a b2 + c2 − a2
sin B = 2 sin A cos A ⇒ =2· ·
2R 2R 2bc
b2 c = ab2 + ac2 − a3 ⇒ b2 (c − a) − s(c2 − a2 ) = 0
b2 (c − a) − a(c − a)(c + a) = 0
(c − a)(b2 − a(c + a)) = 0; c − a 6= 0
b2 = a2 + ac
Analgous:
µ(C) = 2µ(B) ⇒ c2 = b2 + ba

Lemma 2.
If in ∆ABC; a < b < c; µ(C) = 2µ(A) + µ(B) then: a2 = c2 − bc.
Proof.
µ(C) = 2µ(A) + µ(B) ⇒ 2µ(C) = 2µ(A) + µ(B) + µ(C)
2µ(C) = π + µ(A)
sin 2C = sin(π + A)
2 sin C cos C = − sin A
c a2 + b2 − c2 a
2· · =−
2R 2ab 2R
ca2 + cb2 − c3 = −a2 b
a2 (b + c) − c(c2 − b2 ) = 0
a2 (b + c) − c(b + c)(c − b) = 0
a2 − c2 + bc = 0
a2 = c2 − bc
1
2 DANIEL SITARU, CLAUDIA NĂNUŢI - ROMANIA

If µ(A) = π7 ; µ(B) = 2π 4π
7 ; µ(C) = 7 by lemma 1 and lemma 2 we obtain that for
the triangle with sides a, b, c; a < b < c the relationships:
(1) b2 = a2 + ac; c2 = b2 + ba; a2 = c2 − bc
The heptagonal triangle with sides a, b, c; a < b < c and angles A, B, C verify (1).
By adding relationships (1) we obtain:
b2 + c2 + a2 = a2 + ac + b2 + ba + c2 − bc
bc = ba + ac
1 b+c
=
a bc
1 1 1
(2) = +
a b c
By multiplying (2) with 2F :
2F 2F 2F
= + ⇒ ha = hb + hc
a b c

Lemma 3.
√
π 2π 3π 7
(3) sin sin sin =
7 7 7 8
Proof. We will use the well known identity:
n−1
Y kπ n
sin = n−1 ; n ∈ N; n ≥ 2
n 2
k=1
For n = 7:
π 2π 3π 4π 5π 6π 7
sin sin sin sin sin sin = 6
7 7 7 7 7 7 2
π 2π 3π  4π   5π   6π  7
sin sin sin sin π − sin π − sin π − =
7 7 7 7 7 7 √ 64
 π 2π 4π 2 7 π 2π 4π 7
sin sin sin = ⇒ sin sin sin =
7 7 7 64 7 7 7 8

Lemma 4.
The equation:
(4) 64y 3 − 112y 2 + 56y − 7 = 0
has the roots:
π 2π 4π
x1 = sin2 ; x2 = sin2 ; x3 = sin2
7 7 7
Proof. We will prove that x1 = sin2 π
is a solution for the equation (4):
7
4π  4π  3π
sin = sin π − = sin
7 7 7
4π 3π
sin2 = sin2
7 7
 2π 2π 2  π π 2
2 sin cos = sin 3 − 4 sin2
7 7 7 7
 THE HEPTAGONAL TRIANGLE REVISITED 3

2π 2π π π 2
4 sin2 cos2 = sin2 3 − 4 sin2
7 7 7 7
2 π 2
2 π 2 π 2 π 2 π
 
4 · 4 sin cos 1 − 2 sin = sin 3 − 4 sin2
7 7 7 7 7
Denote:
π
sin2
=y
7
 π  π 2  2π 2
16 1 − sin2 1 − 2 sin2 = 3 − 4 sin2
7 7 7
16(1 − y)(1 − 2y)2 = (3 − 4y)2
16(1 − y)(1 − 4y + 4y 2 ) = (3 − 4y)2
16(1 − 4y + 4y 2 − y + 4y 2 − 4y 3 ) = (3 − 4y)2
16 − 80y + 128y 2 − 64y 3 = 9 + 16y 2 − 24y
7 − 56y + 112y 2 − 64y 3 = 0
64y 3 − 112y 2 + 56y − 7 = 0
−112 14 7
S1 = x1 + x2 + x3 = − = =
64 8 4
π 2π 4π 7
(5) sin2 + sin2 + sin2 =
7 7 7 4
56 14 7
S2 = x1 x2 + x2 x3 + x3 x1 = = =
64 16 8
π 2π 2π 4π 4π π 7
(6) sin2 sin2 + sin2 sin2 + sin2 sin2 =
7 7 7 7 7 7 8
 π 2π 4π  2 7
(7) S3 = x1 x2 x3 = sin sin sin =
7 7 7 64
R- circumradii, F - area;
π
a = 2R sin A = 2R sin
7
2π
b = 2R sin B = 2R sin
7
4π
c = 2R sin C = 2R sin
7 √ √
abc 8R3 sin π7 sin 2π
7 sin 4π
7 (4) 2 7 7 2
F = = = 2R · = R
4R 4R 8 4
 π 2π 4π (5)
 7
a2 + b2 + c2 = 4R2 sin2 + sin2 + sin2 = 4R2 · = 7R2
7 7 7 4
(8) a2 + b2 + c2 = 7R2
1 1 1 1  1 1 1 
+ 2+ 2 = 2 π
+ 2 2π
+ 2 =
a2 b c 2
4R sin 7 sin 7 sin 4π
7
1 sin2 π
7 sin2 2π
7 + sin2 2π 2 4π
7 sin 7 + sin
2 4π
7 sin2 π
7
= · =
4R2 sin2 π7 sin2 2π 2 4π
7 sin 7
7
(6);(7) 1 8 1 2
= · 7 = ·8= 2
4R2 64
4R2 R
1 1 1 2
(9) + 2+ 2 = 2
a2 b c R
4 DANIEL SITARU, CLAUDIA NĂNUŢI - ROMANIA

1 1 1
h2a + h2b + h2c = 4F 2 + + =
a2 b2 c2
7 2 7 7R (8) a + b + c2
2 2 2
= 4 · R4 · 2 = R2 = =
16 R 2 2 2
2 2 2 a2 + b2 + c2
ha + hb + hc =
2
π
In conclusion, in a heptagonal triangle with sides a < b < c; µ(A) = 7;
µ(B) = 2π 4π
7 ; µ(C) = 7 the following relationship holds:
a2 = c2 − bc; b2 = a2 + ac; c2 = b2 + ba
1 1 1
= + ;
a b c
a2 + b2 + c2
ha = hb + hc ; ha + hb + h2c =
2 2

√ 2
7 2
F = R ;
4
1 1 1 2
a2 + b2 + c2 = 7R2 ; 2 + 2 + 2 = 2
a b c R


References
[1] Romanian Mathematical Magazine - Interactive Journal, www.ssmrmh.ro

Mathematics Department, National Economic College ”Theodor Costescu”, Drobeta

Turnu - Severin, Romania
Email address: dansitaru63@yahoo.com