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Find-the-point-in-interior-of-a-convex-quadrilateral-such-that-the-sum-of-its-distances-to-the-4-vertices-is-minimal-Find-the-point-in-interior-of-a-convex-quadrilateral-such-that-the-sum-of-its-dis




Question Number 17373 by mrW1 last updated on 04/Jul/17
Find the point in interior of a convex  quadrilateral such that the sum of its  distances to the 4 vertices is minimal.    Find the point in interior of a convex  quadrilateral such that the sum of its  distances to the 4 sides is minimal.
Findthepointininteriorofaconvexquadrilateralsuchthatthesumofitsdistancestothe4verticesisminimal.Findthepointininteriorofaconvexquadrilateralsuchthatthesumofitsdistancestothe4sidesisminimal.
Answered by ajfour last updated on 05/Jul/17
let x_A be the distance of the point (P)  from vertex A and so on ..   let L=x_A +x_C +x_B +x_D        x_A +x_C  ≥ AC       x_B +x_D  ≥ BD  so L_(minimum) = AC+BD  so point P is the intersection of  the diagonals of the quadrilateral.    when sum of the distances of a point  from the four sides is minimum  the point is probably at the  corner of the quadrilateral having  the greatest angle (cannot prove yet).
letxAbethedistanceofthepoint(P)fromvertexAandsoon..letL=xA+xC+xB+xDxA+xCACxB+xDBDsoLminimum=AC+BDsopointPistheintersectionofthediagonalsofthequadrilateral.whensumofthedistancesofapointfromthefoursidesisminimumthepointisprobablyatthecornerofthequadrilateralhavingthegreatestangle(cannotproveyet).
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
answer to part 1 is correct.  answer to part 2 is to check. please  consider different cases.
answertopart1iscorrect.answertopart2istocheck.pleaseconsiderdifferentcases.
Answered by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
To part 1:  The answer is as given by ajfour the  intersection point of the diagonals.    To part 2:  case 1:  both pairs of opposite sides are not  parallel, see diagram.  Point A is the point whose sum of  distances to the sides is minimal.
Topart1:Theanswerisasgivenbyajfourtheintersectionpointofthediagonals.Topart2:case1:bothpairsofoppositesidesarenotparallel,seediagram.PointAisthepointwhosesumofdistancestothesidesisminimal.
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
case 2:  one pair of opposite sides is parallel.  The point which is closest to K is the  solution, here it is point A.
case2:onepairofoppositesidesisparallel.ThepointwhichisclosesttoKisthesolution,hereitispointA.
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17
case 3:  both pairs of opposite sides are parallel.  The sum of distances from every point  to the sides is constant.
case3:bothpairsofoppositesidesareparallel.Thesumofdistancesfromeverypointtothesidesisconstant.
Commented by mrW1 last updated on 05/Jul/17

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