GeometryDifficulty 6.0AIME, harderProve itUnited States
Problem: Let w, x, y, and z be positive real numbers such that 02π3tanw4tanx5tany6tanz=coswcosxcosycosz=w+x+y+z=k(1+secw)=k(1+secx)=k(1+secy)=k(1+secz) (Here sect denotes cost1 when cost=0.) Find k.
Solution
Solution: Answer: 19
From the identity tan2u=1+cosusinu, the conditions work out to 3tan2w=4tan2x=5tan2y=6tan2z=k. Let a=tan2w, b=tan2x, c=tan2y, and d=tan2z. Using the identity tan(M+N)=1−tanMtanNtanM+tanN, we obtain tan(2w+x+2y+z)=1−tan(2w+x)tan(2y+z)tan(2w+x)+tan(2y+z)=1−(1−aba+b)(1−cdc+d)1−aba+b+1−cdc+d=1+abcd−ab−ac−ad−bc−bd−cda+b+c+d−abc−abd−bcd−acd Because x+y+z+w=2π, we get that tan(2x+y+z+w)=0 and thus a+b+c+d=abc+abd+bcd+acd. Substituting a,b,c,d corresponding to the variable k, we obtain that k3−19k=0. Therefore, k can be only 0, 19, −19. However, k=0 is impossible as w,x,y,z will all be 0. Also, k=−19 is impossible as w,x,y,z will exceed π. Therefore, k=19.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.