How Many Triangles?

Author(s): F. Gerrish
Source: The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 54, No. 389 (Oct., 1970), pp. 241-246
Published by: The Mathematical Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3613774 .
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 HOW MANY TRIANGLES?
BY F. GERRISH
A selection process used by some compilers of big-prize competi-
tions is to present a triangle (usually equilateral) divided into (say)
nine congruent subtriangles by the lines joining corresponding
trisection points of the sides, and to ask how many triangles there
are in the figure. It is amusing to obtain the general result when
each side of the original triangle A is divided into n equal parts and
pairs of dividing points are joined by parallels to the sides in all
possible ways.
There are clearly n2 unit triangles in this figure. Let nr denote the
number of triangles whose sides are each r units (briefly, r-triangles);
thus nl = n2 and nn = 1. The required total number of triangles in
the figure is then n
sn = nr'

nA A An=3
81 = 1 sn = 5 S3 = 13

n=4 n=5 n=6

S4 =-27 s6 = 48 S6 = 78
Considerationof a few cases will suggest the following classification
(cases n = 5, 6 are quite typical). When 1 < r < n, each r-triangle
has precisely one of the following six properties:
2 sides lie along sides of A;
1 side lies along a side of A;
3 vertices (but no side) lie on sides of A;
2 vertices (but no side) lie on sides of A;
1 vertex (but no side) lies on a side of A;
0 vertex lies on a side of A.
We obtain nr as the sum of the number of r-triangles in the six sets.
For example,
52=3+6+0+3+0+ 1, 53=3+3+0+0+0+0;
6 ==3+9+0+3+3+3, 63 =3+6+1+0+0+1.
The general results are shown in the table in page 38.
241

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 n > 2 12
n3 n4

3 ifn > 3 3ifn < > 4

2sides 2~sides 33asn > 2
~asn>~20 if3f3i
n- = 30 if n < 4

1 side silde 3(n - 3) if n > 3 3(n- 4) if n > 4 3(n- 5) if n > 5

3(~ Oifn<3 Oifn < 4 Oif n <6 5

3 vertices1 if 2 in1 if 3 -n 1 if 4 in

3if2 < in 3if3 < n 3if4< in

2if 2 > In Oif 3 > In Oif 4 > in

3(n - 5) if n > 5 3(n - 7) ifn > 7 3(n - 9) ifn > 9

1 vertex 3( Oifn < 5 Oifn < 7 Oifn < 9

0 vertex (n - 3)2 (i - 3) (n - 3)4

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 HOW MANY TRIANGLES? 243

Then
n-1
Sn nl + ' nr + nn
r=2

n-1
n2 + nr + 1,(i)
r=-2

where (for 1 < r < n)

2 1)
n, = 3 + 3(n - r - 1) + ,in + + ( + ( - 3),

that is,

nr = 3(n - r) + r,n + (n - 3)r + {3( -2r) if n > 2r, (ii)

if n ? 2r,
and we interpret (n - 3), as 0 when n - 3 < r. [Here and elsewhere
brsmeans 1 when r = s, 0 when r : s.] Hence
n-1 n-1 n-1 N n-3
z n =- 3 (n - r) + 2 br,. + 3 1 (n - 2r) + (n - 3),, (iii)
r=2 r=2 r=2 r=2
r-=2

where N = [(n - 1)] denotes the greatest integer not exceeding

?(n - 1). Thus if n = 2p- 1, then N - p - 1; and if n = 2p,
then N -= p - 1. We have
--1
(n - 2r) = i{(n - 2p + 2) + (n - 4)}(p - 2)
r=2

= (n - p- 1)(p - 2)
E -
Wn 3)2 (n = 2p
- 1),

_ (n - 2)(n - 4) = i(n - 3)2- i (n = 2p).

Consequently, by (i) and (iii)

n-1
Sn = n2 + 3{i(n
- 1)(n - 2)} + I 6r.in
r=2

+ (n- 3)2-(
0 (n odd) "-3

and since
n-3
(n -
3)r = Sn_3 - (n - 3)x = sn_3 - (n - 3)2,
r-=2

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244 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE

therefore
n= n2 + (n - 1)(n - 2) -i-(n - 3)2
(0 (n odd) _ 0 (n odd) +
I (n even) + Sn-3
-- (n even)
0 (n odd)
+ n-3
=9n2_12n +7)+ U (n even)

= 1(3n--2)2 + 1- (n od) + sn-3

0(n even)
00

= 1 + j(3n - 2)2 - + 8s_-3 (iv)

i an.2,+
P==-00

This result, which is valid for n > 2 provided that we interpret

so as 0, is a recurrence formula from which successive s, can be
calculated, starting with
SO= 0, sl = 1 or s2 = 5.

Thus we easily obtain S3 = 13, s4 = 27, s5 = 48, s6 = 78, s7 = 118,

S = 170, s9 = 235, s1o= 315, ....
To find an explicit formula for s, first replace n in (iv) by
n--3t+3, wheren-3t+3>2; we get
co

Sn-3t+3
-
n-3t = 1 + (3n - 9t + 7)2 - i b n-3t+3.2-+1'

Let q, r be the quotient and remainder when n is divided by 3; then

n = 3q + r, 0 <r < 2.
Adding the above relations for t = 1, 2, ... , q gives

Sn -Sn-3 ^ =q + i 1 (3n - 9t + 7)2-e II

n-3t+3,2.e+l (v)
t=1 =--oo t-l

where
0 (r-0),
Sn-_3q = Sr= 1 (r = 1),
5 (r= 2).
Also, by considering separately the four cases arising from oddness
or evenness of n and q, we find that the "repeated sum" in (v) is

(iq (q even)
(q + 1) (q odd, n odd) =-
q (q even),
- ?q
i(q 1) (q odd, n even)

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 HOW MANY TRIANGLES? 245

Hence from (v)

a O (q even)
sn =sr + q+ I (n
(3n -9t 9t + 7))2 _q q+ I0 )n (q odd)

Po(r=2)
where
n > 2, n = 3q + r, 0 < r ?< 2.
We can express the sum occurring here, of course, in the "closed"
form
(3n + 7)2q - 9(3n + 7)q(q + 1) + -7-q(q + 1)(2q + 1).
Formula (ii) is a recurrence relation for calculating n, (r fixed,
1 < r < n). To obtain an explicit result, replace n in (ii) by
n - 3t + 3, where 1 < r < n - 3t + 3. After rearranging, we get
(n- 3t + 3), - (n - 3t), = 3(n - 3t + 3 - r) + 6r.(n-3t+3)
+ 3(n - 3t + 3 - 2r) if n-3t + 3 > 2r,
0ID ifn-3t +3 <2r.
- -
Let j, k r be the quotient and remainder when n r is divided
by 3; then
n=3j+k, r <k <r+2.
By adding the above relations for t = 1, 2, ..., j we get

nr - (n - 3j)r = 3 (n -3t + 3-r) + br,(n-3t+3)

t=1 t=1
m 00
+ 3 ] (n-3t + 3 --2r) I n,
t=1 -=2r+l

where m is the greatest integer (possibly not positive) for which

n - 3m + 3 > 2r, but the factor involving 6 is inserted in case
n < 2r (in which event all of the last sum is absent, and so the
negative or zero value of m is irrelevant). So

n, + 3(2n - 3j - 2r + 3)j + z 65 n-3t?3)

t=1
oo
+ 3(2n-4r - 3m + 3)m , (1 << r < n),
-=-2r+1
where
1 (k =r),
3 (k= r + 1),
k=(6 (k=r+2>4),
7 (k = r + 2 = 4),
and j, k, m are defined in terms of n and r as already explained.

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246 TTlE
THE MATHEMATICALGAZEi

Examples
(a) n = 9, r = 2. Herej = 2, k = 3 = r + 1, m =2, so
92 = 3 + 33 + 0 + 21 = 57.
(b) n =-8, r-=4. Herej = 1, k = 5 = r + 1, m =0 , so
84 = 3 + 12 + 1 + 0 = 16.
(c) n = 7, r = 2. Herej -=1, k = 4-r + 2, m=1, so
72= 7 + 15 + 0 + 9 = 31.

Departmentof Mathematics, F. GERRISH

The Polytechnic
Kingston-upon-Thames.

THE 12-BALLS PROBLEM AS AN ILLUSTRATION

OF THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION THEORY

BY ROBERT H. THOULESS

One is sometimes asked for an elementary introduction to the

principles of information theory. I suggest that this need may be
met by showing its application to the well-known problem of
twelve balls. The problem is as follows:
You have 12 balls of the same size. 11 of theseballs are of the same
weight,one is different; you do not know whetherthis ball is heavier or
lighterthan the others. You have also a balanceon whichany group of
theballs can beweighedagainst any othergroup. How can you discover
by means of threeweighingswhich is the differentball and whetherit is
heavieror lighterthan the otherballs?
The following two basic principals of information theory may be
assumed to be known
(1) That the unit of information is the "bit," which is the infor-
mation required to discriminate between two equally probable
alternatives.
(2) That the number of bits of informationrequiredto discriminate
between N equally probable possibilities is log2 N.
These principles can be applied to the 12-balls problem by con-
sidering the amount of information given by three weighings and
that required for the solution of the problem. It is a necessary
condition for the solubility of the problem that the first of these
quantities should be not less than the second. This, however, is not
also a sufficient condition of solubility; it is also necessary that
there should be a possible strategy of solving such that at no point

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