MHB Simplifying trig expression

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To simplify the expression cot(2π/3 - x), the identity tan(A - B) = (tan A - tan B) / (1 + tan A tan B) is applied. The cotangent is rewritten in terms of tangent, leading to cot(2π/3 - x) = 1/tan(2π/3 - x). Substituting tan(2π/3) = -√3 into the equation results in cot(2π/3 - x) being expressed as (√3 tan x - 1) / (tan x + √3). The final simplified form of the expression is achieved as (√3 tan x - 1) / (tan x + √3). This method effectively transforms the original cotangent expression into a more manageable form.
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I have to simplify (or get it in terms of tan I guess?) \cot (\frac{2\pi }{3} - x)

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I'm not sure how to get the reference angle and subtract the angle 'x' from it to get an expressional value...how would I do this?
 
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Hello, daigo!

\text{Simplify: }\:\cot(\tfrac{2\pi}{3} - x)
\text{Identity: }\:\tan(A - B) \;=\;\frac{\tan A - \tan B}{1 + \tan A\tan B}

\cot(\tfrac{2\pi}{3} - x) \;=\;\frac{1}{\tan(\frac{2\pi}{3} - x)} \;=\;\frac{1 + \tan\frac{2\pi}{3}\tan x}{\tan\frac{2\pi}{3} - \tan x}

. . . . . . . . .=\; \frac{1 + (\text{-}\sqrt{3})\tan x}{(\text{-}\sqrt{3}) - \tan x} \;=\; \frac{1 - \sqrt{3}\tan x}{\text{-}\sqrt{3} - \tan x}

. . . . . . . . .=\; \frac{\sqrt{3}\tan x - 1}{\tan x + \sqrt{3}}
 
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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