Centroid Problem: Ratio of the areas of two Triangles

Contents

Try this beautiful problem from Geometry based on Centroid.

Centroid Problem: Ratio of the areas of two Triangles

$\triangle ABC$ has centroid $G$.$\triangle ABG$,$triangle BCG$, and $\triangle CAG$ have centroids $G_1$, $G_2$, $G_3$ respectively. The value of $\frac{[G1G2G3]}{[ABC]}$ can BE represented by $\frac{p}{q}$ for positive integers $p$ and $q$.

Find $p+q$ where$[ABCD]$ denotes the area of ABCD.

$14$
$ 10$
$7$

Key Concepts

Geometry

Triangle

centroid

Check the Answer

But try the problem first…

Answer: $10$

Source

Try with Hints

First hint

$\triangle ABC$ has centroid $G$.$\triangle ABG$,$triangle BCG$, and $\triangle CAG$ have centroids $G1$,$G2$,$G3$ respectively.we have to find out value of $\frac{[G1G2G3]}{[ABC]}$ i.e area of $\frac{[G1G2G3]}{[ABC]}$

Let D, E, F be the midpoints of BC, CA, AB respectively.
Area of $\frac{[DEF]}{[ABC]}$=$\frac{1}{4}$

we know that any median is divided at the centroid $2:1$. Now can you find out $GG_1,GG_2,GG_3$ ?

Can you now finish the problem ……….

Second Hint

we know that any median is divided at the centroid $2:1$
Now $G_1$ is the centroid of $\triangle ABG$, then$GG_1=2G_1F$
Similarly,$GG_2 = 2G_2D$ and$GG_3 = 2G_3E$
Thus, From homothetic transformation $\triangle G_1G_2G_3$ maps to $\triangle FDE$ by a homothety of ratio$\frac{2}{3}$
Therefore,$\frac{[G_1G_2G_3]}{[DEF]}$ = $(\frac{2}{3})^2$=$\frac{4}{9}$

can you finish the problem……..

Final Step

Therefore we say that $\frac{[G_1G_2G_3]}{[ABC]}$ = $\frac{[G_1G_2G_3]}{[DEF]}\cdot \frac{[DEF]}{[ABC]} $= $\frac{4}{9}\cdot \frac{1}{4}$=$\frac{1}{9}$=$\frac{p}{q}$

So $p+q$=$9+1$=$10$

Centroid Problem: Ratio of the areas of two Triangles