Skip to main content
Log in

Duality and Inscribed Ellipses

  • Published:
Computational Methods and Function Theory Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We give a constructive proof for the existence of inscribed families of ellipses in triangles and convex quadrilaterals; a unique ellipse exists in a convex pentagon. The techniques employed are based upon duality principles. One by-product of this approach is that the ellipse inscribed in a pentagon and that inscribed in its diagonal pentagon are algebraically related; they are as intrinsically linked as are the pentagon and its diagonal pentagon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Coxeter, H.: Projective Geometry, 2nd edn. University of Toronto Press, Toronto (1974)

  2. Gorkin, P., Skubak, E.: Polynomials, ellipses, and matrices: two questions, one answer. Am. Math. Mon. 118(6), 522–533 (2011)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. Kalman, D.: An elementary proof of Marden’s theorem. Am. Math. Mon. 115(4), 330–338 (2008)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. Linfield, B.: On the relation of the roots and poles of a rational function to the roots of its derivative. Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 27(1), 17–21 (1920)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Marden, M.: Geometry of polynomials. In: Mathematical Surveys, No. 3, 2nd edn. American Mathematical Society, Providence (1966)

  6. Minda, D., Phelps, S.: Triangles, ellipses, and cubic polynomials. Am. Math. Mon. 115(8), 679–689 (2008)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the referees for their comments. We believe that they simultaneously improved our exposition and provided a deeper context for our work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Lachance.

Additional information

Communicated by Doron Lubinsky.

Dedicated to Professor Ed Saff on his 70th birthday, with admiration and gratitude.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Agarwal, M., Clifford, J. & Lachance, M. Duality and Inscribed Ellipses. Comput. Methods Funct. Theory 15, 635–644 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40315-015-0124-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40315-015-0124-0

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification

Navigation