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Difference between revisions of "1984 AIME Problems/Problem 13"

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=== Solution 3 ===
 
=== Solution 3 ===
  
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On the coordinate plane, let <math>O=(0,0)</math>, <math>A_1=(3,0)</math>, <math>A_2=(3,1)</math>, <math>B_1=(21,7)</math>, <math>B_2=(20,10)</math>, <math>C_1=(260,130)</math>, <math>C_2=(250,150)</math>, <math>D_1=(5250,3150)</math>, <math>D_2=(5100,3400)</math>, and <math>H=(5100,0)</math>. We see that <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle A_2OA_1)=3</math>, <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle B_2OB_1)=7</math>, <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle C_2OC_1)=13</math>, and <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle D_2OD_1)=21</math>. The sum of these four angles forms the angle of triangle <math>OD_2H</math>, which has a cotangent of <math>\frac{5100}{3400}=\{3}{2}</math>, which must mean that <math> \cot( \cot^{-1}3+\cot^{-1}7+\cot^{-1}13+\cot^{-1}21=\frac{3}{2} )</math>. So the answer is <math>10*(\frac{3}{2})=\boxed{015}</math>.
+
On the coordinate plane, let <math>O=(0,0)</math>, <math>A_1=(3,0)</math>, <math>A_2=(3,1)</math>, <math>B_1=(21,7)</math>, <math>B_2=(20,10)</math>, <math>C_1=(260,130)</math>, <math>C_2=(250,150)</math>, <math>D_1=(5250,3150)</math>, <math>D_2=(5100,3400)</math>, and <math>H=(5100,0)</math>. We see that <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle A_2OA_1)=3</math>, <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle B_2OB_1)=7</math>, <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle C_2OC_1)=13</math>, and <math>\cot^{-1}(\angle D_2OD_1)=21</math>. The sum of these four angles forms the angle of triangle <math>OD_2H</math>, which has a cotangent of <math>\frac{5100}{3400}=\{3}{2}</math>, which must mean that <math> \cot( \cot^{-1}3+\cot^{-1}7+\cot^{-1}13+\cot^{-1}21)=\frac{3}{2}</math>. So the answer is <math>10*(\frac{3}{2})=\boxed{015}</math>.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 21:53, 27 May 2013

Problem

Find the value of $10\cot(\cot^{-1}3+\cot^{-1}7+\cot^{-1}13+\cot^{-1}21).$

Solution

Solution 1

We know that $\tan(\arctan(x)) = x$ so we can repeatedly apply the addition formula, $\tan(x+y) = \frac{\tan(x)+\tan(y)}{1-\tan(x)\tan(y)}$. Let $a = \cot^{-1}(3)$, $b=\cot^{-1}(7)$, $c=\cot^{-1}(13)$, and $d=\cot^{-1}(21)$. We have

$\tan(a)=\frac{1}{3},\quad\tan(b)=\frac{1}{7},\quad\tan(c)=\frac{1}{13},\quad\tan(d)=\frac{1}{21}$,

So

$\tan(a+b) = \frac{\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{7}}{1-\frac{1}{21}} = \frac{1}{2}$

and

$\tan(c+d) = \frac{\frac{1}{13}+\frac{1}{21}}{1-\frac{1}{273}} = \frac{1}{8}$,

so

$\tan((a+b)+(c+d)) = \frac{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{8}}{1-\frac{1}{16}} = \frac{2}{3}$.

Thus our answer is $10\cdot\frac{3}{2}=15$.

Solution 2

Apply the formula $\cot^{-1}x + \cot^{-1} y = \cot^{-1}\left(\frac {xy-1}{x+y}\right)$ repeatedly. Using it twice on the inside, the desired sum becomes $\cot (\cot^{-1}2+\cot^{-1}8)$. This sum can then be tackled by taking the cotangent of both sides of the inverse cotangent addition formula shown at the beginning.

Solution 3

On the coordinate plane, let $O=(0,0)$, $A_1=(3,0)$, $A_2=(3,1)$, $B_1=(21,7)$, $B_2=(20,10)$, $C_1=(260,130)$, $C_2=(250,150)$, $D_1=(5250,3150)$, $D_2=(5100,3400)$, and $H=(5100,0)$. We see that $\cot^{-1}(\angle A_2OA_1)=3$, $\cot^{-1}(\angle B_2OB_1)=7$, $\cot^{-1}(\angle C_2OC_1)=13$, and $\cot^{-1}(\angle D_2OD_1)=21$. The sum of these four angles forms the angle of triangle $OD_2H$, which has a cotangent of $\frac{5100}{3400}=\{3}{2}$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg), which must mean that $\cot( \cot^{-1}3+\cot^{-1}7+\cot^{-1}13+\cot^{-1}21)=\frac{3}{2}$. So the answer is $10*(\frac{3}{2})=\boxed{015}$.

See also

1984 AIME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 12 		Followed by
Problem 14
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions
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