IMO 1969 · Problem 3

For each value of \(k = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5\), find necessary and sufficient conditions on the number \(a > 0\) so that there exists a tetrahedron with \(k\) edges of length \(a\), and the remaining \(6 - k\) edges of length \(1\).

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

\[ \boxed{ \begin{array}{c|c} k & \text{Necessary and sufficient condition}\\ \hline 1 & 0<a<\sqrt3\\ 2 & 0<a<\sqrt{\,2+\sqrt3\,}\\ 3 & a>0\\ 4 & a>\sqrt{\,2-\sqrt3\,}\\ 5 & a>\dfrac1{\sqrt3} \end{array}} \]

All displayed bounds are strict. For \(a=1\), a regular unit tetrahedron works for every \(k\).

Solution

A tetrahedron must have four noncoplanar vertices.

We first establish a useful fact: a tetrahedron satisfying \[ AB=p,\qquad CD=q,\qquad AC=AD=BC=BD=1, \] where \(p,q>0\), exists if and only if \[ p^2+q^2<4. \tag{1} \]

To prove this, place \[ A=(p/2,0,0),\qquad B=(-p/2,0,0). \] Since \(C\) and \(D\) are each equidistant from \(A,B\), both lie in the plane with first coordinate zero. Moreover, \(AC=AD\) implies that \(C,D\) are equidistant from the origin. Their midpoint is therefore perpendicular to the direction of \(CD\). Rotating coordinates within that plane, we may write \[ C=(0,q/2,h),\qquad D=(0,-q/2,h). \] The four cross-edge lengths equal \(1\) precisely when \[ h^2=1-\frac{p^2+q^2}{4}. \] The volume is \(pq|h|/6\), so noncoplanarity requires \(h\ne0\). Conversely, if (1) holds, choosing the positive square root for \(h\) gives the required tetrahedron. This proves (1).

Case \(k=1\). Label the exceptional edge \(AB=a\). Then \(CD=1\), and all four cross-edges have length \(1\). Applying (1) with \(p=a,q=1\), we obtain exactly \[ 0<a<\sqrt3. \]

Case \(k=2\). The two designated edges of length \(a\) either are opposite or share a vertex.

If they are opposite, (1) with \(p=q=a\) gives exactly \[ 0<a<\sqrt2. \tag{2} \]

If they share a vertex, label them \(AB=AC=a\). All other edges have length \(1\), so \(BCD\) is an equilateral triangle. Place \[ B=(-1/2,0,0),\qquad C=(1/2,0,0),\qquad D=(0,\sqrt3/2,0). \] Since \(AB=AC\), write \(A=(0,u,v)\). The conditions \(AB=a\) and \(AD=1\) become \[ \frac14+u^2+v^2=a^2,\qquad \left(u-\frac{\sqrt3}{2}\right)^2+v^2=1. \] Subtracting gives \[ u=\frac{a^2-\frac12}{\sqrt3}, \] and consequently \[ v^2 =a^2-\frac14-\frac{(a^2-\frac12)^2}{3} =\frac{-a^4+4a^2-1}{3} =\frac{3-(a^2-2)^2}{3}. \] Noncoplanarity is equivalent to \(v\ne0\). Thus this arrangement is possible exactly when \[ 2-\sqrt3<a^2<2+\sqrt3, \] or \[ \sqrt{\,2-\sqrt3\,}<a<\sqrt{\,2+\sqrt3\,}. \tag{3} \] Sufficiency follows by using the displayed coordinates with \(v\) equal to the positive square root.

The intervals (2) and (3) overlap, and their union is \[ 0<a<\sqrt{\,2+\sqrt3\,}. \] These two arrangements exhaust all possibilities for two edges.

Case \(k=3\). Every \(a>0\) is possible. Set \[ s=\min(a,1),\qquad t=\max(a,1). \] Take an equilateral triangle of side \(s\), with center \(O\), and place a fourth vertex on the perpendicular through \(O\), at height \[ h=\sqrt{t^2-\frac{s^2}{3}}. \] The distance from \(O\) to each base vertex is \(s/\sqrt3\), so all three lateral edges have length \(t\). Furthermore, \[ h^2\ge s^2-\frac{s^2}{3}=\frac{2s^2}{3}>0. \] Thus the tetrahedron is nondegenerate and has three designated edges of length \(a\) and three of length \(1\).

Cases \(k=4,5\). Scaling every edge by \(1/a\) transforms a tetrahedron with \(k\) edges of length \(a\) and \(6-k\) edges of length \(1\) into one with \(6-k\) edges of length \(1/a\) and \(k\) edges of length \(1\). This operation is reversible and preserves noncoplanarity.

Therefore, the \(k=4\) case is equivalent to the \(k=2\) case with parameter \(1/a\), giving \[ \frac1a<\sqrt{\,2+\sqrt3\,} \quad\Longleftrightarrow\quad a>\sqrt{\,2-\sqrt3\,}, \] where we used \((2+\sqrt3)(2-\sqrt3)=1\).

Similarly, the \(k=5\) case is equivalent to the \(k=1\) case with parameter \(1/a\), giving \[ \frac1a<\sqrt3 \quad\Longleftrightarrow\quad a>\frac1{\sqrt3}. \]

The strict inequalities in the constructions are exactly the positive-volume conditions, so no excluded endpoint yields a tetrahedron.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).