Question

1.12. Three points are located at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle whose side equals a. They all start moving simultaneously
with velocity v constant in modulus, with the first point heading
continually for the second, the second for the third, and the third
for the first. How soon will the points converge?

Answer 1

Answer:

From the symmetry of the problem all the three points are always located at the vertices of equilateral triangles of varying side length and finally meet at the centroid of the initial equilateral triangle whose side length is a, in the sought time interval (say t).

Let us consider an arbitrary equilateral triangle of edge length l (say) Then the rate by which 1 approaches 2,2 approaches 3, and 3approches 1, becomes:

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Answer 2

Answer:

Three points are located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle whose side equals a. They all start moving simultaneously with velocity v constant in modulus, with the first point heading continually for the second, the second for the third, and the third for the first.