Sum of two trigonometric terms

In summary: According to your diagram, I have found $\tan 3\theta=\dfrac{1}{t}$. And I am curious and wish to know if you have found the value of $t$ yet? I tried with no luck so far.Just a heuristic. I am pretty sure it works, though.Perhaps someone can finish through this line?Hi Albert:), thanks for participating. According to your diagram, I have found $\tan 3\theta=\dfrac{1}{t}$. And I am curious and wish to know if you have found the value of $t$ yet? I tried with no luck so far.I can try to solve for $
  • #1
anemone
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Prove that $\tan \left( \dfrac{3 \pi}{11} \right)+ 4\sin \left( \dfrac{2 \pi}{11} \right)=\sqrt{11}$.

I know this problem may be stale as it has been posted countless times at other math forums, but I've seen one brilliant method to attack this problem recently, and I'm so eager to share it with the folks here at our site.

Despite my saying so, I would still welcome anyone who would want to take a stab at this challenge.
 
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  • #2
anemone said:
Prove that $\tan \left( \dfrac{3 \pi}{11} \right)+ 4\sin \left( \dfrac{2 \pi}{11} \right)=\sqrt{11}$.

I know this problem may be stale as it has been posted countless times at other math forums, but I've seen one brilliant method to attack this problem recently, and I'm so eager to share it with the folks here at our site.

Despite my saying so, I would still welcome anyone who would want to take a stab at this challenge.
 

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  • #3
Albert said:

Hi Albert:), thanks for participating.

According to your diagram, I have found $\tan 3\theta=\dfrac{1}{t}$. And I am curious and wish to know if you have found the value of $t$ yet? I tried with no luck so far.
 
  • #4
Since I see arguments with period division by 11, I am pretty sure they are roots of an (reducible, yes, I'd think) eleventh degree equation. Then I would have just factorized that thing out and end up with the correct quadratic

Just a heuristic. I am pretty sure it works, though. Perhaps someone can finish through this line?
 
  • #5
anemone said:
Hi Albert:), thanks for participating.

According to your diagram, I have found $\tan 3\theta=\dfrac{1}{t}$. And I am curious and wish to know if you have found the value of $t$ yet? I tried with no luck so far.
$in \triangle BCD ,\,\, tan 3\theta =\dfrac {BD}{CD}=\dfrac {2t}{1-t^2+t^2} =2t$
 
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  • #6
Eh, I derived this one by some kind of twisted Gauss sum, but perhaps this ain't what you want..., is it?
 
  • #7
anemone said:
Prove that $\tan \left( \dfrac{3 \pi}{11} \right)+ 4\sin \left( \dfrac{2 \pi}{11} \right)=\sqrt{11}$.

I know this problem may be stale as it has been posted countless times at other math forums, but I've seen one brilliant method to attack this problem recently, and I'm so eager to share it with the folks here at our site.

Despite my saying so, I would still welcome anyone who would want to take a stab at this challenge.
I use another method (this is easier ,but the calculation still very tedious)
let :$t=tan \,\,x ,\,\,(x=\dfrac {\pi}{11})$
then :$tan \,\, 3x=\dfrac{3t-t^3}{1-3t^2}----(a)$
$4sin \,\, 2x=4\times \dfrac{2t}{1+t^2}=\dfrac {8t}{1+t^2}----(b)$
$tan \,\, 2x=\dfrac{2t}{1-t^2}----(c)$
for :
$tan \,\, 5x +tan \,\, 6x=0$
$\dfrac {tan \,\, 3x+tan\,\, 2x}{1-tan\,\,3x\,tan\,2x}+\dfrac {2\times\, tan \,\, 3x}{1-tan^2 3x}=0---(d)$
put (a) and (c) to (d) we may solve for t (one of its solution will be t$\approx 0.2936)$
put t to (a) and (b) we may get the result:$(a)+(b)$and compare with $\sqrt {11}$
 
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  • #8
Thanks to you, Albert for providing me two different methods to tackle this particular problem.

@Balarka, you're free to use any method that you like to attack the problem and I am looking forward to read your solution post, as I am sure many will get benefited by looking at your solution, if there is any.

anemone said:
Prove that $\tan \left( \dfrac{3 \pi}{11} \right)+ 4\sin \left( \dfrac{2 \pi}{11} \right)=\sqrt{11}$.

I know this problem may be stale as it has been posted countless times at other math forums, but I've seen one brilliant method to attack this problem recently, and I'm so eager to share it with the folks here at our site.

Despite my saying so, I would still welcome anyone who would want to take a stab at this challenge.

According to the tangents of sums formulae, we have

$\tan 11x=\dfrac{11 \tan x-165\tan^3x+462\tan^5x-330\tan^7x+55\tan^2x-tan^{11}x}{1-55\tan^2x+330\tan^4x-462\tan^6x+165\tan^8x-11\tan^{10}x}$

For $x=\dfrac{\pi}{11}$, we have $11 \tan x-165\tan^3x+462\tan^5x-330\tan^7x+55\tan^2x-tan^{11}x=0$

Hence,

$\tan^{10}x=55\tan^8x-330\tan^6x+462\tan^4x-165\tan^2x+11$

Notice that

$\begin{align*}\sin 2x&=2\sin x\cos x\\&=\dfrac{2\sin x \cos x \cos x}{\cos x}\\&=2\tan x \cos^2 x\\&=2\tan x\dfrac{\cos^2 x}{1}\\&=2\tan x\dfrac{\cos^2 x}{\sin^2 x+\cos^2 x}\\&=2\tan x\dfrac{1}{\tan^2 x+1}\end{align*}$

hence we get

$\begin{align*}(\tan 3x+4\sin 2x)^2&=\left( \dfrac{3\tan x-\tan^3 x}{1-3\tan^2 x}+\dfrac{8\tan x}{1+\tan^2 x} \right)^2\\&=\dfrac{(11\tan x-22\tan^3 x-\tan^5 x)^2}{((1-3\tan^2 x)(\tan^2 x+1))^2}\\&=\dfrac{\tan^{10} x+44\tan^8 x+462\tan^6 x-484\tan^4 x+121\tan^2 x}{9\tan^8 x+12\tan^6 x-2\tan^4 x-4\tan^2 x+1}\\&=\dfrac{11(9\tan^8 x+12\tan^6 x-2\tan^4 x-4\tan^2 x+1)}{9\tan^8 x+12\tan^6 x-2\tan^4 x-4\tan^2 x+1}\\&=11\end{align*}$

Note that we replaced $\tan^{10}x$ by $55\tan^8x-330\tan^6x+462\tan^4x-165\tan^2x+11$ in the second last step above since we're dealing with $x=\dfrac{\pi}{11}$.

therefore we can conclude that
$\tan \left( \dfrac{3 \pi}{11} \right)+ 4\sin \left( \dfrac{2 \pi}{11} \right)=\sqrt{11}$.
 

FAQ: Sum of two trigonometric terms

What is the sum of two trigonometric terms?

The sum of two trigonometric terms is a trigonometric expression that is obtained by combining two trigonometric functions, such as sine, cosine, tangent, etc.

How do you simplify the sum of two trigonometric terms?

To simplify the sum of two trigonometric terms, you can use trigonometric identities, such as the sum and difference identities, to rewrite the expression in a more simplified form.

Can the sum of two trigonometric terms be written as a single trigonometric function?

Yes, the sum of two trigonometric terms can often be simplified and written as a single trigonometric function. However, it may not always be possible, and the expression may need to be left in its original form.

How do you solve equations involving the sum of two trigonometric terms?

To solve equations involving the sum of two trigonometric terms, you can use the properties of trigonometric functions, such as the unit circle, inverse trigonometric functions, and trigonometric identities, to isolate the variable and find its value.

Can the sum of two trigonometric terms have multiple solutions?

Yes, the sum of two trigonometric terms can have multiple solutions, especially when involving inverse trigonometric functions. It is important to check for extraneous solutions and restrict the domain of the trigonometric functions to find the correct solutions.

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