Maths Olympiad Prep

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Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Find the answer

Given that xx is a positive real, find the maximum possible value of sin(tan1(x9)tan1(x16))\sin \left(\tan ^{-1}\left(\frac{x}{9}\right)-\tan ^{-1}\left(\frac{x}{16}\right)\right).

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

Consider a right triangle AOCA O C with right angle at O,AO=16O, A O=16 and CO=xC O=x. Moreover, let BB be on AOA O such that BO=9B O=9. Then tan1x9=CBO\tan ^{-1} \frac{x}{9}=\angle C B O and tan1x16=CAO\tan ^{-1} \frac{x}{16}=\angle C A O, so their difference is equal to ACB\angle A C B. Note that the locus of all possible points CC given the value of ACB\angle A C B is part of a circle that passes through AA and BB, and if we want to maximize this angle then we need to make this circle as small as possible. This happens when OCO C is tangent to the circumcircle of ABCA B C, so OC2=OAOB=144=122O C^{2}=O A \cdot O B=144=12^{2}, thus x=12x=12, and it suffices to compute sin(αβ)\sin (\alpha-\beta) where sinα=cosβ=45\sin \alpha=\cos \beta=\frac{4}{5} and cosα=sinβ=35\cos \alpha=\sin \beta=\frac{3}{5}. By angle subtraction formula we get sin(αβ)=(45)2(35)2=725\sin (\alpha-\beta)=\left(\frac{4}{5}\right)^{2}-\left(\frac{3}{5}\right)^{2}=\frac{7}{25}.

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Source: Omni-MATH, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.