Golden Ratio in Mixtilinear Circles

Tran Quang Hung has found the Golden Ratio among mixtilinear circles in equilateral triangle.

golden ratio in mixtilinear circles by Tran Quang Hung

I am surprised no more. However, the novel manifestation of the universality of the Golden Ratio has warranted some investigation. It appears that even a single mixtilinear circle in equilateral triangle is conducive to proliferation of that universal constant. Here's what I found:

golden ratio in one mixtilinear circle of an equilateral triangle

($F$ is the center of the circle. The significance of other points is clear from the diagram.)

$\displaystyle\frac{GP}{JP}=\frac{GJ}{IJ}=\frac{KO}{JO}=\frac{GK}{KQ}=\frac{KO}{KL}=\frac{GQ}{CG}=\frac{KQ}{BQ}=\phi.$

As a matter of fact, rather often, elegant results in mathematics are established by proofs that lack appeal, let alone elegance, and provide no enlightenment into the nature of the statement. For me, this was the case with all of the above ratios. I confess to having proved the third one and getting a notion of how to proceed from there. I recoil from doing that.

$\displaystyle\frac{KO}{JO}=\phi.$

I'll work with $\Delta FJN:$

golden ratio in one mixtilinear circle of an equilateral triangle, proof of just one ratio

Assume the side of $\Delta ABC$ is $1.$ Then $AD=\displaystyle\frac{2}{3}$ and $\displaystyle FJ=DF=\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{9}.$ $DN$ is one third of the altitude from $C,$ i.e., $DN =\displaystyle\frac{\sqrt{3}}{6}.$ Thus, $JN^{2}=FJ^{2}-FN^{2},$ or more explicitly

$\displaystyle JN^{2}=\bigg(\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{9}\bigg)^{2}-\bigg(\frac{2\sqrt{3}}{9}-\frac{\sqrt{3}}{6}\bigg)^{2}=\frac{5}{36},$

implying $\displaystyle JN=\frac{\sqrt{5}}{6}.$ Further, $\displaystyle DO=KO=\frac{1}{3}$ and $\displaystyle NO=\frac{1}{6}.$ It follows that

$\begin{align}\displaystyle \frac{KO}{JO}&=\frac{1/3}{\sqrt{5}/6-1/6}\\ &=\frac{2}{\sqrt{5}-1}\\ &=\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2}=\phi. \end{align}$

(A solution by Leo Giugiuc to the original problem of two mixtilinear circles can be found in a separate file.)

Golden Ratio

  1. Golden Ratio in Geometry
  2. Golden Ratio in an Irregular Pentagon
  3. Golden Ratio in a Irregular Pentagon II
  4. Inflection Points of Fourth Degree Polynomials
  5. Wythoff's Nim
  6. Inscribing a regular pentagon in a circle - and proving it
  7. Cosine of 36 degrees
  8. Continued Fractions
  9. Golden Window
  10. Golden Ratio and the Egyptian Triangle
  11. Golden Ratio by Compass Only
  12. Golden Ratio with a Rusty Compass
  13. From Equilateral Triangle and Square to Golden Ratio
  14. Golden Ratio and Midpoints
  15. Golden Section in Two Equilateral Triangles
  16. Golden Section in Two Equilateral Triangles, II
  17. Golden Ratio is Irrational
  18. Triangles with Sides in Geometric Progression
  19. Golden Ratio in Hexagon
  20. Golden Ratio in Equilateral Triangles
  21. Golden Ratio in Square
  22. Golden Ratio via van Obel's Theorem
  23. Golden Ratio in Circle - in Droves
  24. From 3 to Golden Ratio in Semicircle
  25. Another Golden Ratio in Semicircle
  26. Golden Ratio in Two Squares
  27. Golden Ratio in Two Equilateral Triangles
  28. Golden Ratio As a Mathematical Morsel
  29. Golden Ratio in Inscribed Equilateral Triangles
  30. Golden Ratio in a Rhombus
  31. Golden Ratio in Five Steps
  32. Between a Cross and a Square
  33. Four Golden Circles
  34. Golden Ratio in Mixtilinear Circles
  35. Golden Ratio in Isosceles Right Triangle, Square, and Semicircle

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