Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 931

AMC 12 late, AIME early
Algebra Difficulty 4.1 Multiple choice China Mathematical Competition (Shaanxi) · China

Let x∈[−5π12,−π3]x \in \left[-\frac{5\pi}{12}, -\frac{\pi}{3}\right]. Then the maximum value of

y=tan⁡(x+2π3)−tan⁡(x+π6)+cos⁡(x+π6) y = \tan\left(x + \frac{2\pi}{3}\right) - \tan\left(x + \frac{\pi}{6}\right) + \cos\left(x + \frac{\pi}{6}\right)
is:

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Official solution

Let z=−x−π6z = -x - \frac{\pi}{6}. Then z∈[π6,π4]z \in [\frac{\pi}{6}, \frac{\pi}{4}], and 2z∈[π3,π2]2z \in [\frac{\pi}{3}, \frac{\pi}{2}]. We have
tan⁡(x+2π3)=−cot⁡(x+6π)=cot⁡z. \tan\left(x + \frac{2\pi}{3}\right) = -\cot\left(x + \frac{6}{\pi}\right) = \cot z.
Then
y=cot⁡z+tan⁡z+cos⁡z=2sin⁡2z+cos⁡z. y = \cot z + \tan z + \cos z = \frac{2}{\sin 2z} + \cos z.
Since both 2sin⁡2z\frac{2}{\sin 2z} and cos⁡z\cos z are monotonic decreasing in this case, so yy reaches the maximum at z=π6z = \frac{\pi}{6}, where ymax⁡=2sin⁡π3+cos⁡π6=43+32=1163y_{\max} = \frac{2}{\sin \frac{\pi}{3}} + \cos \frac{\pi}{6} = \frac{4}{\sqrt{3}} + \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} = \frac{11}{6}\sqrt{3}.

Answer: C.

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