# Thread: Geometric construction

1. ## Geometric construction

Suppose that $a,b,c \in \mathbb{R}$ satisfy:

$0

i). Give a geometric construction to prove there exists a triangle in the Euclidean plane $\mathbb{E}^2$ (that is $\mathbb{R}^2$ with the usual metric) with sides of length equal to $a,b,c$.
I'm not really sure if I got this, but I chose a 5,12,13 triangle. It satisfies the inequalities, but i'm not sure if they want a more general answer.

ii). What special thing happens in your construction if one of the inequalities becomes equality, say, $a=b+c$?
With equality (I chose b=c), we get $0 and $0. The second inequality seems a bit redundant since $a>0$.

I don't really see the special thing that happens. My 5,12,13 triangle still works!

2. It seems to me that you have to prove that a triangle exists for arbitrary a, b, and c (subject to the constraints). Maybe you can consider a line segment of length a and two circles whose centers are the ends of the segment and whose radiii are b and c. Then show that the circles intersect when the inequalities hold.