## Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences

### On the Modified Fermat Problem

Zvonko Cerin

#### Abstract

$\newcommand{\p}[1]{#1'}$For a given positive real number $v$ smaller than $\sqrt{2}$, we consider the Fermat-like configuration consisting of a circle $k$ and a rectangle ${AB\p B\p A}$. A point ${P}$ is on ${k}$ if and only if the relation ${|AD|^2+|BC|^2=v^2\,|AB|^2}$ holds, where ${C}$ and ${D}$ are the intersections of the line ${AB}$ with the lines ${\p AP}$ and ${\p BP}$, respectively. There are four such rectangles with the side ${A\p A}$ parallel to any given line of symmetry of the circle. This property is shared by all ellipses. When ${v={\sqrt{2}}}$, analogous statements hold for parabolas. Finally, for ${v\gt{\sqrt{2}}}$, this is true for hyperbolas only for its line of symmetry containing the foci. We also show that many geometric properties of this configuration do not depend on a position of a point on the circle. The original Fermat problem corresponds to the case ${v=1}$.

#### Article information

Source
Missouri J. Math. Sci., Volume 25, Issue 2 (2013), 153-166.

Dates
First available in Project Euclid: 12 November 2013

Permanent link to this document
https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.mjms/1384266200

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.35834/mjms/1384266200

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR3161631

Zentralblatt MATH identifier
1286.51008

Subjects
Primary: 54H01

#### Citation

Cerin, Zvonko. On the Modified Fermat Problem. Missouri J. Math. Sci. 25 (2013), no. 2, 153--166. doi:10.35834/mjms/1384266200. https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.mjms/1384266200

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