scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2145134
The study of integral solutions of the Pythagorean equation \(x^2 + y^2 = z^2\) has a long and rich history bringing out a plethora of generalizations with Fermat's Last Theorem as their most prominent representative. Instead of looking at algebraic generalizations of the Pythagorean equation, the author defines and studies a geometric generalization of Pythagorean triples. He investigates the question which integral quadruples \((A,B,C,D)\) exist such that a convex quadrilateral with side lengths \(A,B,C,D\) can be inscribed within a circle of diameter \(D\). Since all integral triples \((A,B,C)\) satisfying the property that a triangle with side lengths \(A,B,C\) can be inscribed in a circle of diameter \(C\) are precisely the Pythagorean triples, the integral quadruples \((A,B,C,D)\) just defined are called Pythagorean quadruples. Pythagorean quadruples are exactly the solutions of the equation \(w^3-(x^2+y^2+z^2)w - 2xyz = 0\). A Pythagorean quadruple is called primitive, if \(gcd(A,B,C,D) = 1\). The author shows that \((2,7,11,14)\) is the smallest distinct-sided Pythagorean quadruple by using Ptolemy's Theorem on the diagonals of quadrilaterals. Like for Pythagorean triples all Pythagorean quadruples with equal sides can be written down: they are of the form \((| 2s^2 - r^2| ,sr,sr,\max \{2s^2,r^2\})\), where \(s\) and \(r\) are relatively prime numbers with \(r \) odd. Moreover, \((A,B,B,D)\) is a Pythagorean quadruple for some \(B,D \) if and only if \(A\) is admissible, i.e. all prime divisors of \(A\) are congruent \(\pm1\) modulo 8. For the diameter \(D\) of a distinct-sided Pythagorean quadruple the author shows that \(D\) cannot be the square of a prime number. The paper closes with various open questions. For the entire collection see [Zbl 1054.11005].
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