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Gruber P. Convex and Discrete Geometry

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6 Mixed Volumes <strong>and</strong> Quermassintegrals 95<br />

C o D<br />

C + D<br />

Fig. 6.3. Mixed volume 2V (C, D) = V (C + D) − V (C) − V (D)<br />

This result permits us to visualize mixed volumes, at least in dimension 2. Consider<br />

two convex bodies C <strong>and</strong> D. Then<br />

2V (C, D) = V (C + D) − V (C) − V (D).<br />

The shaded figure is the sum C + D (see Fig. 6.3). The area of the lightly shaded part<br />

equals 2V (C, D).<br />

Some of the following results are easy consequences of Theorem 6.7. In spite of<br />

this we present their common proofs.<br />

The Notation for Mixed Volumes<br />

The following result justifies the notation of mixed volumes.<br />

Proposition 6.4. Let C1,...,Cm ∈ C <strong>and</strong> j1,..., jd ∈{1,...,m}. Then V (C j1 ,...,<br />

C jd ) depends only on C j1 ,...,C jd .<br />

Proof. Let D1,...,Dm ∈ C such that C j1 = D j1 ,...,C jd = D jd . Then, putting<br />

λi = 0 for all i �= j1,..., jd,<br />

�<br />

i1,...,id∈{ j1,..., jd}<br />

V (Ci1 ,...,Cid )λi1 ···λid<br />

= V (λ j1 C j1 +···+λ jd C jd )<br />

= V (λ j1 D j1 +···+λ jd D jd )<br />

=<br />

�<br />

V (Di1 ,...,Did )λi1 ···λid<br />

i1,...,id ∈{ j1,..., jd}<br />

for λ j1 ,...,λjd ≥ 0.<br />

Comparing coefficients, it follows in particular, that V (C j1 ,...,C jd ) = V (D j1 ,...,<br />

D jd ). ⊓⊔<br />

Rigid Motions<br />

Since volume is translation invariant <strong>and</strong>, more generally, rigid motion invariant, see<br />

Theorem 7.5, the following statements hold.

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