Simplices with equiareal faces (Q1580760): Difference between revisions

The author investigates the question to what extent equality of the \(k\)-volumes of all \(k\)-dimensional faces of an \(n\)-dimensional simplex \(S \subset R^n\), \(2\leq k\leq n-1\), implies symmetry or regularity properties of \(S\). (The first well-known result of this type is the fact that a tetrahedron, whose 2-faces have equal areas, has even congruent 2-faces and therefore a circumscribed parallelepiped which is even a box.) Calling such a simplex \(k\)-equiareal, various properties of \(k\)-equiareal simplices are proved. E.g., \(S\subset R^n\) is \((n-1)\)-equiareal iff its in-center and centroid coincide, and for \(n\geq 4\) a 2-equiareal simplex is regular (this result is due to \textit{P. Frankl} and \textit{H. Maehara} [Eur. J. Comb. 11, No. 3, 241-247 (1990; Zbl 0723.05110)]). It turns out that, regarding \(3\leq k\leq n-2\) and \(n\geq 5\), the central question is whether an \((n-2)\)-equiareal simplex is necessarily \((n-1)\)-equiareal. This is not finally answered, although all the examples constructed until now have this property. There are non-regular examples for \(n=5\) and \(n\geq 7\), and one for \(n=11\) having no symmetry whatsoever. Further, the author shows that, if the central question has an affirmative answer, then each \(k\)-equiareal simplex would be regular for \(1\leq k\leq n-3\).