MHB What values of tan alpha and tan beta satisfy a trigonometric inequality?

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The discussion focuses on proving the trigonometric inequality involving angles alpha and beta, specifically that (1) the expression (1/cos²α) + (1/(sin²α sin²β cos²β)) is greater than or equal to 9. It is established that equality holds when sin²α equals 2/3 and sin(2β) equals 1, leading to the values tanα = √2 and tanβ = 1. The transformation of variables to x = sin²α and y = sin²(2β) simplifies the inequality, confirming that the left side is always greater than or equal to 4 while the right side is capped at 4. This analysis concludes that the specified values of tanα and tanβ satisfy the given trigonometric inequality.
Albert1
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$0<\alpha < \dfrac {\pi}{2}$
$0<\beta < \dfrac {\pi}{2}$
prove:
$(1): \,\, \dfrac{1}{ \cos^2 \alpha}+ \dfrac {1}{ \sin^2 \alpha \, \sin^2 \beta \, \cos^2 \beta} \geq 9 $
determine the values of $ \tan \alpha$ and $ \tan \beta $ when :
$(2): \: \dfrac{1}{ \cos^2 \alpha}+ \dfrac {1}{ \sin^2 \alpha \, \sin^2 \beta \, \cos^2 \beta} =9 $
 
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[sp]Let $x = \sin^2\alpha$, $y = \sin^2(2\beta) = 4\sin^2\beta\cos^2\beta.$ Then $0\leqslant x\leqslant 1$ and $0\leqslant y\leqslant 1.$ The inequality $\dfrac{1}{ \cos^2 \alpha}+ \dfrac {1}{ \sin^2 \alpha \, \sin^2 \beta \, \cos^2 \beta} \geqslant 9$ becomes $\dfrac1{1-x} + \dfrac4{xy} \geqslant 9$, or $$\dfrac4y \geqslant 9x - \frac x{1-x} = \frac{8x-9x^2}{1-x} = \frac{4(1-x) - (3x-2)^2}{1-x} = 4 - \frac{(3x-2)^2}{1-x}.$$ The left side is clearly $\geqslant4$ and the right side is clearly $\leqslant 4.$ So the inequality is satisfied, with equality only if $x = 2/3$ and $y=1$. That occurs when $\sin\alpha = \sqrt{2/3}$ (so $\tan\alpha = \sqrt2$) and $\sin(2\beta)=1$ (so $\tan\beta = 1$).[/sp]
 
Opalg said:
[sp]Let $x = \sin^2\alpha$, $y = \sin^2(2\beta) = 4\sin^2\beta\cos^2\beta.$ Then $0\leqslant x\leqslant 1$ and $0\leqslant y\leqslant 1.$ The inequality $\dfrac{1}{ \cos^2 \alpha}+ \dfrac {1}{ \sin^2 \alpha \, \sin^2 \beta \, \cos^2 \beta} \geqslant 9$ becomes $\dfrac1{1-x} + \dfrac4{xy} \geqslant 9$, or $$\dfrac4y \geqslant 9x - \frac x{1-x} = \frac{8x-9x^2}{1-x} = \frac{4(1-x) - (3x-2)^2}{1-x} = 4 - \frac{(3x-2)^2}{1-x}.$$ The left side is clearly $\geqslant4$ and the right side is clearly $\leqslant 4.$ So the inequality is satisfied, with equality only if $x = 2/3$ and $y=1$. That occurs when $\sin\alpha = \sqrt{2/3}$ (so $\tan\alpha = \sqrt2$) and $\sin(2\beta)=1$ (so $\tan\beta = 1$).[/sp]
nice solution (Yes)
 
I have been insisting to my statistics students that for probabilities, the rule is the number of significant figures is the number of digits past the leading zeros or leading nines. For example to give 4 significant figures for a probability: 0.000001234 and 0.99999991234 are the correct number of decimal places. That way the complementary probability can also be given to the same significant figures ( 0.999998766 and 0.00000008766 respectively). More generally if you have a value that...

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