Prove that sin10∘⋅cos20∘⋅sin30∘⋅cos40∘⋅sin50∘⋅cos60∘⋅sin70∘⋅cos80∘=2561.
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
As sin10∘=cos80∘, sin30∘=cos60∘, sin50∘=cos40∘, and sin70∘=cos20∘, the desired equality is equivalent to (cos20∘⋅cos40∘⋅cos60∘⋅cos80∘)2=2561. It is known that cos60∘=21. Concerning the other factors, we obtain cos20∘⋅cos40∘⋅cos80∘=8sin20∘8sin20∘cos20∘⋅cos40∘⋅cos80∘=8sin20∘4sin40∘cos40∘⋅cos80∘=8sin20∘2sin80∘cos80∘=8sin20∘sin160∘=8sin20∘sin20∘=81. Consequently, (cos20∘⋅cos40∘⋅cos60∘⋅cos80∘)2=(21⋅81)2=(161)2=2561.
Solution 2
As sin10∘=cos80∘, sin30∘=cos60∘, sin50∘=cos40∘, and sin70∘=cos20∘, the l.h.s. of the desired equality can be rewritten as (cos20∘cos40∘cos60∘cos80∘)2. Hence the desired equality is equivalent to cos20∘cos40∘cos60∘cos80∘=161.(2) As cos60∘=21 and sin60∘=23, we have cos40∘cos80∘=cos(60∘−20∘)cos(60∘+20∘)=(cos60∘cos20∘+sin60∘sin20∘)(cos60∘cos20∘−sin60∘sin20∘)=cos260∘cos220∘−sin260∘sin220∘=41cos220∘−43sin220∘=41(cos220∘−3sin220∘). Thus cos20∘cos40∘cos60∘cos80∘=81(cos320∘−3sin220∘cos20∘).(3) By applying the formula cos3x=cos3x−3sin2xcosx to x=20∘, we get cos320∘−3sin220∘cos20∘=cos60∘=21. Consequently, (3) reduces to (2), completing the solution of the problem.
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