MHB Can You Prove This Trigonometric Inequality?

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The discussion centers on proving the inequality $\tan 6^{\circ}+\tan 24^{\circ}+\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ} > 4$. Participants share their approaches and calculations to demonstrate the validity of the inequality. Corrections and clarifications are made regarding previous mistakes in the calculations. The conversation highlights the importance of accurate trigonometric evaluations in proving inequalities. Ultimately, the focus remains on successfully establishing the inequality through mathematical reasoning.
anemone
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Prove $\tan 6^{\circ}+\tan 24^{\circ}+\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}\gt 4$.
 
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anemone said:
Prove $\tan 6^{\circ}+\tan 24^{\circ}+\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}\gt 4$.

My solution:

First we know

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 700"]
[TR]
[TD]$\tan x=x+\dfrac{x^3}{3}+\dfrac{2x^5}{15}+\cdots$[/TD]
[TD]$86^{\circ}=\dfrac{86^{\circ}\pi}{180^{\circ}}>1.5$ rad[/TD]
[TD]$42^{\circ}=\dfrac{42^{\circ}\pi}{180^{\circ}}>0.733$ rad[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

So we have

$\begin{align*}\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}&\gt (1.5+\dfrac{1.5^3}{3}+\dfrac{2(1.5)^5}{15}+\cdots)+(0.733+\cdots)\\&>3.6375+0.733\\&>4.3705\end{align*}$

Since $\tan 6^{\circ},\, \tan 24^{\circ}>0$ we can conclude by now $\tan 6^{\circ}+\tan 24^{\circ}+\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}\gt 4$ and we're hence done.
 
Last edited:
anemone said:
My solution:

First we know

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 700"]
[TR]
[TD]$\tan x=x+\dfrac{x^3}{3}+\dfrac{2x^5}{15}+\cdots$[/TD]
[TD]$86^{\circ}=\dfrac{86^{\circ}\pi}{180^{\circ}}<1.5$ rad[/TD]
[TD]$42^{\circ}=\dfrac{42^{\circ}\pi}{180^{\circ}}<0.733$ rad[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

So we have

$\begin{align*}\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}&\gt (1.5+\dfrac{1.5^3}{3}+\dfrac{2(1.5)^5}{15}+\cdots)+(0.733+\cdots)\\&>3.6375+0.733\\&>4.3705\end{align*}$

Since $\tan 6^{\circ},\, \tan 24^{\circ}>0$ we can conclude by now $\tan 6^{\circ}+\tan 24^{\circ}+\tan 42^{\circ}+\tan 86^{\circ}\gt 4$ and we're hence done.

should be

$86^{\circ}=\dfrac{86^{\circ}\pi}{180^{\circ}}>1.5$ rad
 
Thanks kaliprasad for catching it, I just fixed the mistakes.:o
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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