Let PABC be a tetrahedron such that ∠APB=∠APC=∠BPC=90∘,∠ABC=30∘, and AP2 equals the area of triangle ABC. Compute tan∠ACB.
A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.
Solution
Observe that 21⋅AB⋅AC⋅sin∠BAC=[ABC]=AP2=21(AB2+AC2−BC2)=AB⋅AC⋅cos∠BAC so tan∠BAC=2. Also, we have tan∠ABC=31. Also, for any angles α,β,γ summing to 180∘, one can see that tanα+tanβ+tanγ=tanα⋅tanβ⋅tanγ. Thus we have tan∠ACB+2+31=tan∠ACB⋅2⋅31, so tan∠ACB=8+53.
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