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Richard Walker

Solution to Earlier Problem with Two Equilateral Triangles

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Edited by Richard Walker, Monday 18 May 2026 at 23:25

This is a solution to the problem I posted 16 May 2026.

In the diagram triangles ABC and CDE are equilateral, with points A, C and E lying on a straight line. The problem is to prove CP and CQ have the same length.

There are probably many proofs - for example using coordinate geometry or complex number - but here is a short one using Euclidean geometry.

In the second diagram the coloured triangles ACD and BCE are congruent ('two sides and the included angle'), because AC = BC, CD = CE, and angle ACD = 120° = angle BCE . The two angles marked x are therefore equal.

In the third diagram the coloured triangle CPD and the shaded triangle CQE are congruent ('two angles and the included side'), because angle PCD = 60° = angle QCE, angle PDC = x = angle QEC and side CD = side CE.

Consequently CP = CQ which was to be shown.

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Richard Walker

A Nice Problem with Two Equilateral Triangles - Can You Find a Proof?

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Here's a nice problem I found on math stack exchange (question 1182471).

ACE is a straight line and triangles ABC and CDE are equilateral. Prove that CP = CQ.

If you have a solution do put in the comments. I imagine there are a number of different solutions. I'll post mine this Monday coming.

Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Darren Menachem Drapkin, Monday 18 May 2026 at 21:21)
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Richard Walker

A Stunning Equilateral Triangle Problem

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Edited by Richard Walker, Wednesday 15 April 2026 at 22:10

I saw this problem on Mind Your Decisions.

At left is an equilateral triangle. From an arbitrary point in its interior we draw line segments to its vertices, making angles alpha , beta and gamma as shown. If now we construct a second triangle (right) whose sides are equal in length to these three line segments, as indicated by the tick marks—What will the angles of the new triangle be?

I have never seen this before and have not viewed the solution. But I have worked out what the answer must be, just not proved it yet. And it's a truly beautiful result.

I wonder if it can be generalised to non-equalateral triangle? Or to a square?

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Richard Walker

A Japanese Temple Problem — Can You Solve It?

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Edited by Richard Walker, Friday 30 January 2026 at 13:17

Sangaku were geometrical puzzles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, painted on wooded tablets and hung in Japanese temples. Here is a problem I came across which is either a Sangaku or inspired by that tradition. It is very simple to state.

Inside a circle another smaller circle is drawn which is tangent to the bigger circle and to a diameter of the bigger circle. 

An even smaller circle is then drawn which is tangent to the diameter and to both the other circles, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. The green circle is tangent to the red circle, the diameter and the enclosing blue circle.

  1. What is the radius of the smallest circle, as a fraction of the radius of the biggest circle?
  2. Can you see how to construct the smallest circle using straightedge (i.e. a ruler with no makings on it) and compasses? If you can it should help you answer the first question.

I had a lot of fun solving this problem which turns out to have a really nice answer. I'll post my solution, which I am pretty comfident is correct, at the end of the week.

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Richard Walker

Nice Geometry Problem

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Edited by Richard Walker, Thursday 6 April 2023 at 18:04


Suppose we take a rectangle and erect equilateral triangles on two of its side, as shown in Fig. 1. Show that pointsC, E and B are the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Here is my proof: If we draw in the sides of the triangle (Fig. 2) we can see triangles DCE, BEF and DFA all have

a side of length | and one of length ||
an angle of 150 degrees included between those sides.

Consequently the three triangles are all congruent (the same as on another) and DE = EF = FD, so DEF is equilateral as required.
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Richard Walker

A triangle problem

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Given an equilateral triangle LMN, let X lie on ML extended, and Y lie on MN, such that LX = NY.

Show that the point P where XY and LN intersect is the midpoint of XY.

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Richard Walker

Samurai Puzzle - A Square in a Triangle

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Edited by Richard Walker, Friday 2 October 2020 at 09:23

This is a Sangaku-like puzzle (see https://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/viewpost.php?post=230691)

We have a square inscribed in a triangle of known base b and height h, as shown. What is the length s of the square's side?


I called this a Samurai puzzle because many of the original sangaku were the work of Samurai.

(Solution in Comments.)

Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by Richard Walker, Thursday 1 October 2020 at 23:34)
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