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Erdos-Mordell Inequality

Geometry

The Erdos-Mordell Inequality states that for any point inside a triangle, the sum of that point's distances to the triangle's three vertices is at least twice the sum of its perpendicular distances to the triangle's three sides, with equality exactly when the triangle is equilateral and the point is its center. Named for Paul Erdos, who conjectured it, and Louis Mordell, who along with David Barrow gave the first proof, it is a well known inequality of triangle geometry.

Facts
Statement
For any triangle ABC and point P inside it, the sum of the distances from P to the sides is at most half the sum of the distances from P to the vertices. 2
Proof Year
1937 2
Classification
Statement Form
Inequality 1
Connections

Has Statement Form

Inequality, Concepts

In Branch

Source Erdos-Mordell inequality, Wikipedia

Proved By

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Erdős-Mordell inequality
WikipediaLead section, statement-form reference
Quote, Lead section, statement-form reference
In Euclidean geometry, the Erdős-Mordell inequality states that for any triangle A B C and point P inside A B C , the sum of the distances from P to the sides is less than or equal to half of the sum of the distances from P to the vertices.
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2. Erdos-Mordell inequality, Wikipedia
  • Lead, first sentence
    In Euclidean geometry, the Erdős-Mordell inequality states that for any triangle ABC and point P inside ABC, the sum of the distances from P to the sides is less than or equal to half of the sum of the distances from P to the vertices.
  • History paragraph
    Erdős (1935) posed the problem of proving the inequality; a proof was provided two years later by Mordell and D. F. Barrow (1937).
  • In Branch: Geometry, Lead sentence
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