4063

Author(s): H. S. M. Coxeter and R. G. Stanton

Source: The American Mathematical Monthly, Vol. 52, No. 7 (Aug. - Sep., 1945), pp. 400-401
Published by: Mathematical Association of America
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2304654
Accessed: 05-06-2016 12:10 UTC

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted
digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about
JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Mathematical Association of America is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access
to The American Mathematical Monthly

This content downloaded from 143.89.105.150 on Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:10:06 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
This content downloaded from 143.89.105.150 on Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:10:06 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 19451 PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 401

we can find another with one vertex at any given point on the first conic. This
statement is easily seen to be valid in complex geometry. Discuss its possible
failure in real geometry.

II. Solution by R. G. Stanton, University of Toronto. Let the two conics be

represented by homogeneous equations

(1) yz+zx+xy=O,
(2) ax2 + by2 + cz2 = 0.

The reference triangle is inscribed in (1), self-polar re (2). Let (x, y, z) be any
point on (1). Its polar re (2) has the tangential coordinates [ax, by, cz]. Since
the tangential equation for (1) is

X2 + Y2 + Z2 - 2YZ - 2ZX - 2XY = 0,

this polar meets (1) in two points which coincide if and only if

(3) a2x2 + b2y2 + c2z2 - 2bcyz - 2cazx - 2abxy = 0.

The four points of intersection of the two conics (1) and (3) give four points on
(1) whose polars re (2) touch (1).
If a point P is on (1), let its polar QR, re (2), meet (1) in Q and R to form the
self-polar triangle PQR. The problem is to determine for what positions of P
this self-polar triangle is real. The transition from real to imaginary positions
occurs when QR changes from a secant to an exterior line; thus the transitional
stage is one in which QR is tangent to (1), and can occur for only four positions
of P, corresponding to the roots of the quartic equation for x/y formed by elimi-
nating z between (1) and (3). Three situations may arise:
(i) the quartic has four real roots;
(ii) the quartic has only two real roots;
(iii) the quartic has no real roots.
In case (i), the four real points will divide the conic (1) into four arcs, on two
of which P may lie for real self-polar triangles. In case (ii) there will be only
one such arc. In case (iii) every position on the conic will give a real triangle.
(One such being already given, all must be real.) Intermediate situations, corre-
sponding to coincident roots, occur when (1) and (2) are in contact.
Examples of these situations are readily provided. If a = b = 1, we have two
arcs of admissible positions for P, or only one, according as c < -8 or -8? c < 0.
An instance of case (iii) occurs when (2) is

I X2 + y2 - z2 = 0.

Editorial Note. A partial solution is given 1944, 171.

4098 [1945, 49]. An Alternant Type of Determinant

II. Note by Arnold Dresden, Swarthmore College. The result obtained in the
solution [1945, 49] appears to be practically identical with Theorem 2 in the

This content downloaded from 143.89.105.150 on Sun, 05 Jun 2016 12:10:06 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms