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Balkan Mathematical Olympiad Shortlist

geometry

Problem

Prove that there exist infinitely many non isosceles triangles with rational side lengths, rational lengths of altitudes, and perimeter equal to .
Solution
If the lengths , and of the sides are rational, since , where by , and we denote the lengths of the altitudes of the triangle, it is enough to find an infinite number of triangles with rational area. From Heron's formula we have and hence, in order the area be rational for an infinite number of sides, it is enough the quantity under the radical to be square of a rational number. Therefore it is enough to find rational numbers , and such that This is feasible by putting where , and are rational. It is easily checked that for these values of , and we have and therefore, there exists a triangle of side lengths , and with perimeter .

Solution 2: All triangles with side lengths , , where , and are integers such that satisfy the condition of the problem. Since there are infinitely many right triangles with integer sides no two of which are similar, we are done.

Techniques

Constructions and lociPythagorean triples