On a lower and upper bound for the curvature of ellipses with more than two foci (Q2474001)

The authors consider special convex curves in the Euclidean plane which are a generalization of an ellipse. The essential property of an ellipse is the existence of two foci. A point of an ellipse has the property that the sum \(F\) of the distances of the two foci is constant. Generalizing this property the authors consider a set of \(n \;(\geq 3)\) points in the Euclidean plane, called foci. The levels of the function \(F\) which meassure the sum of the distances from the foci are called polyellipses. If there exist only one focus the curve is a circle. In this paper the polyellipses are investigated from the viewpoint of differential geometry. Some examples explain properties of polyellipses. Results on the curvature of the polyellipses are presented. A lower and an upper bound for the curvature involving explicite constants are given. They depend on the number of foci, the rate of the level, and the global minimum of the function \(F\). When \(n = 3\) the minimum of \(F\) is the Fermat point. For the classical theorem of \textit{E. Weiszfeld} [Tohoku Math. J. 43, 355--386 (1937; Zbl 0017.18007)] characterizing the minimizer of the function \(F\) a new proof is given. As an application a new proof for a theorem of \textit{P. Erdős} and \textit{I. Vincze} [Math. Lapok 9, 19--36 (1958; Zbl 0091.35402)] is presented. This theorem states that the approximation of a regular triangle by circumscribed polyellipses has an absolute error in the sence that there is no way to exceed it even if the number of the foci are arbitrary large.