In this paper we investigate the extremal properties of the sum $$sum_{i=1}^n|MA_i|^{lambda},$$ where $A_i$ are vertices of a regular simplex, a cross-polytope (orthoplex) or a cube and $M$ varies on a sphere concentric to the sphere circumscribed ar
ound one of the given polytopes. We give full characterization for which points on $Gamma$ the extremal values of the sum are obtained in terms of $lambda$. In the case of the regular dodecahedron and icosahedron in $mathbb{R}^3$ we obtain results for which values of $lambda$ the corresponding sum is independent of the position of $M$ on $Gamma$. We use elementary analytic and purely geometric methods.
In this paper we consider an extremal problem in geometry. Let $lambda$ be a real number and $A$, $B$ and $C$ be arbitrary points on the unit circle $Gamma$. We give full characterization of the extremal behavior of the function $f(M,lambda)=MA^lambd
a+MB^lambda+MC^lambda$, where $M$ is a point on the unit circle as well. We also investigate the extremal behavior of $sum_{i=1}^nXP_i$, where $P_i, i=1,...,n$ are the vertices of a regular $n$-gon and $X$ is a point on $Gamma$, concentric to the circle circumscribed around $P_1...P_n$. We use elementary analytic and purely geometric methods in the proof.
