Open Mathematics (Dec 2017)

Does any convex quadrilateral have circumscribed ellipses?

  • Li Jia Hui,
  • Wang Zhuo Qun,
  • Shen Yi Xi,
  • Dai Zhong Yuan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1515/math-2017-0117
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1463 – 1476

Abstract

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The past decades have witnessed several well-known beautiful conclusions on four con-cyclic points. With highly promising research value, we profoundly studied circumscribed ellipses of convex quadrilaterals in this paper. Using tools of parallel projective transformation and analytic geometry, we derived several theorems including the proof of the existence of circumscribed ellipses of convex quadrilaterals, the properties of its minimal coverage area, and locus center, respectively. This simple approach lays a solid foundation for its application to three-dimensional situations, which is namely the circumscribed quadric surface of a solid figure and its wide-range utility in construction engineering. Meanwhile, we have a new insight into innate connection of conic sections as well as a taste of beauty and harmony of geometry.

Keywords