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Geometry Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Soviet Union

Problem:
A and B are acute angles such that sin2A+sin2B=sin(A+B)\sin^2 A + \sin^2 B = \sin (A + B). Show that A+B=π/2A + B = \pi / 2.

Solution

Solution:
Given sin2A+sin2B=sin(A+B)\sin^2 A + \sin^2 B = \sin (A + B).

We know that sin2A=1cos2A\sin^2 A = 1 - \cos^2 A and sin2B=1cos2B\sin^2 B = 1 - \cos^2 B, but let's try to use the sum-to-product identities.

Recall that:
sin2A+sin2B=1cos2A2+1cos2B2=1cos2A+cos2B2 \sin^2 A + \sin^2 B = \frac{1 - \cos 2A}{2} + \frac{1 - \cos 2B}{2} = 1 - \frac{\cos 2A + \cos 2B}{2}
So the equation becomes:
1cos2A+cos2B2=sin(A+B) 1 - \frac{\cos 2A + \cos 2B}{2} = \sin (A + B)
Bring sin(A+B)\sin (A + B) to the left:
1sin(A+B)=cos2A+cos2B2 1 - \sin (A + B) = \frac{\cos 2A + \cos 2B}{2}
Multiply both sides by 22:
22sin(A+B)=cos2A+cos2B 2 - 2\sin (A + B) = \cos 2A + \cos 2B
But cos2A+cos2B=2cos2A+2B2cos2A2B2=2cos(A+B)cos(AB)\cos 2A + \cos 2B = 2 \cos \frac{2A + 2B}{2} \cos \frac{2A - 2B}{2} = 2 \cos (A + B) \cos (A - B).

So:
22sin(A+B)=2cos(A+B)cos(AB) 2 - 2\sin (A + B) = 2 \cos (A + B) \cos (A - B)
Divide both sides by 22:
1sin(A+B)=cos(A+B)cos(AB) 1 - \sin (A + B) = \cos (A + B) \cos (A - B)
Bring all terms to one side:
1sin(A+B)cos(A+B)cos(AB)=0 1 - \sin (A + B) - \cos (A + B) \cos (A - B) = 0
Let S=A+BS = A + B and D=ABD = A - B.

So:
1sinScosScosD=0 1 - \sin S - \cos S \cos D = 0
But cosScosD=12[cos(SD)+cos(S+D)]=12[cos(A+B(AB))+cos(A+B+(AB))]=12[cos(2B)+cos(2A)]\cos S \cos D = \frac{1}{2} [\cos(S - D) + \cos(S + D)] = \frac{1}{2} [\cos(A + B - (A - B)) + \cos(A + B + (A - B))] = \frac{1}{2} [\cos(2B) + \cos(2A)]

But this brings us back to the earlier form. Let's try another approach.

Let us suppose A+B=xA + B = x.

Then sin2A+sin2B=sinx\sin^2 A + \sin^2 B = \sin x.

But sin2A+sin2B=1cos2A+cos2B2\sin^2 A + \sin^2 B = 1 - \frac{\cos 2A + \cos 2B}{2} as above.

So:
1cos2A+cos2B2=sinx 1 - \frac{\cos 2A + \cos 2B}{2} = \sin x
So:
cos2A+cos2B=2(1sinx) \cos 2A + \cos 2B = 2(1 - \sin x)
But 2A+2B=2x2A + 2B = 2x, so cos2A+cos2B=2cosxcos(AB)\cos 2A + \cos 2B = 2 \cos x \cos(A - B).

Therefore:
2cosxcos(AB)=2(1sinx) 2 \cos x \cos(A - B) = 2(1 - \sin x)
Divide both sides by 22:
cosxcos(AB)=1sinx \cos x \cos(A - B) = 1 - \sin x
But AA and BB are acute, so 0<A<π20 < A < \frac{\pi}{2}, 0<B<π20 < B < \frac{\pi}{2}, so 0<x<π0 < x < \pi.

Suppose x=π2x = \frac{\pi}{2}.
Then sinx=1\sin x = 1, cosx=0\cos x = 0.
So left side: 0cos(AB)=00 \cdot \cos(A - B) = 0, right side: 11=01 - 1 = 0.
So equality holds.

Suppose x<π2x < \frac{\pi}{2}.
Then sinx<1\sin x < 1, cosx>0\cos x > 0.
So 1sinx>01 - \sin x > 0, cosx>0\cos x > 0, so cos(AB)=1sinxcosx\cos(A - B) = \frac{1 - \sin x}{\cos x}.
But AB<x<π2|A - B| < x < \frac{\pi}{2}, so cos(AB)>0\cos(A - B) > 0.
But cos(AB)1\cos(A - B) \leq 1, so 1sinxcosx1\frac{1 - \sin x}{\cos x} \leq 1.
So 1sinxcosx1 - \sin x \leq \cos x.
But 1sinxcosx01 - \sin x - \cos x \leq 0.
But for 0<x<π20 < x < \frac{\pi}{2}, 1sinxcosx>01 - \sin x - \cos x > 0 for small xx, so possible only at x=π2x = \frac{\pi}{2}.

Similarly, for x>π2x > \frac{\pi}{2}, cosx<0\cos x < 0, 1sinx<01 - \sin x < 0, but cos(AB)>0\cos(A - B) > 0, so left side negative, right side negative, but cos(AB)=1sinxcosx\cos(A - B) = \frac{1 - \sin x}{\cos x}, but cos(AB)>0\cos(A - B) > 0, so 1sinxcosx>0\frac{1 - \sin x}{\cos x} > 0, but both negative, so possible only if x=π2x = \frac{\pi}{2}.

Therefore, the only solution is A+B=π2A + B = \frac{\pi}{2}.

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