[Math] proving a median in a triangle base on center of mass

geometrytriangles

I was wondering: I know that the center of mass in a triangle is divided the medians in the ratio of $2:1$.

Is the opposite is true?

I mean, if i have triangle $ABC$ and point $D$ is on $BC$, point $E$ is on $AB$ such that the point of intersection, divided $AD,CE$ in the ratio of $2:1$.

Can i say that $AD,CE$ are medians?

In Addition: what about if i have one median and a point on that median that dividing it by the ration of $2:1$, is it true to say that this point will definitely be the center of mass?

Thanks.

Best Answer

The easiest proof I know is using analytic (coordinate) geometry.

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Given that CE and AD are divided as given, then $$ \frac23E+\frac13C=F=\frac23D+\frac13A\tag{1} $$ Add $\frac13B$ to both sides and multiply by $\frac32$ and subtract $D+E$: $$ \underbrace{\frac12(C+B)-D}_{\text{parallel to $CB$}}=\underbrace{\frac12(A+B)-E}_{\text{parallel to $AB$}}\tag{2} $$ Since $CB\not\parallel AB$, both sides of $(2)$ must be $0$. That is $$ D=\frac{C+B}2\quad\text{and}\quad E=\frac{A+B}2\tag{3} $$


Additional Problem

At the beginning of your question, it is given that the center of mass divides each median into two segments whose lengths have a ratio of $2:1$. There are only two points that divide a given line segment into lengths with a ratio of $2:1$. By what was given at the beginning of the question, one of those points must be the center of mass, and the other must be halfway between the center of mass and one of the vertices.

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