{
  "aliases": null,
  "backlinks": null,
  "body": "\n## Definition\n\nLet $ABC$ be a [[triangle|0CTNFGYMM2]] in the Euclidean plane, and let $d$ be the [[Euclidean distance|0NPPGHQNXQ]].\nThe *Fermat point* of $ABC$ is the unique point $F$ of the plane that minimises\n$$f(P) = d(P, A) + d(P, B) + d(P, C).$$\n\n## Remarks\n\nA minimiser exists because $f$ is continuous and tends to infinity far away; it is unique because $f$ is strictly convex when $A$, $B$, $C$ are not collinear.\nIf each angle of $ABC$ is less than $120^\\circ$, then $F$ is the interior point with $\\angle AFB = \\angle BFC = \\angle CFA = 120^\\circ$.\nIn that case $F$ is also the common point of the lines that join each vertex to the apex of the outward equilateral triangle on the opposite side.\nIf the angle at a vertex is at least $120^\\circ$, then $F$ is that vertex.\nThe point is also called the Torricelli point.\n\nExample: in an equilateral triangle the centre $O$ sees each side under $120^\\circ$ by symmetry, so $F = O$.\n\nNon-example: take $A = (0, 0)$, $B = (1, 0)$, $C = (0, 1)$ and the [[centroid|0X7EEWES5G]] $G = (1/3, 1/3)$.\nThen $f(G) = (\\sqrt 2 + 2\\sqrt 5)/3 \\approx 1.962$.\nAll angles are below $120^\\circ$, and the minimum of $f$ is $\\sqrt{2 + \\sqrt 3} \\approx 1.932$, so $G$ is not the Fermat point.\n",
  "commit": "ff8a40749dc16545e3d2fc637f6b0196e81d0bfa",
  "front": {
    "defines": "QM0CGSQ4TF",
    "kind": "definition",
    "msc": [
      "51M04",
      "51M16"
    ],
    "name": "Fermat point",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermat_point"
      }
    ],
    "tag": "XZ3BMJARBR",
    "uses": [
      "0CTNFGYMM2",
      "0NPPGHQNXQ"
    ]
  },
  "kind": "definition",
  "link": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/XZ3BMJARBR/",
  "links": [
    {
      "field": "defines",
      "target": "QM0CGSQ4TF"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0CTNFGYMM2"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0NPPGHQNXQ"
    }
  ],
  "markdown": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/XZ3BMJARBR.md",
  "msc": [
    "51M04",
    "51M16"
  ],
  "name": "Fermat point",
  "prov": null,
  "role": "",
  "source": "https://github.com/tamnd/math2/blob/main/nodes/XZ3/XZ3BMJARBR.md",
  "status": null,
  "tag": "XZ3BMJARBR",
  "uri": "m2://XZ3BMJARBR",
  "url": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/wiki/fermat-point-definition/",
  "writing": {
    "tag": "XZ3BMJARBR",
    "kind": "definition",
    "level": "W0",
    "next": [
      {
        "what": "a source with a locator",
        "have": 0,
        "want": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}
