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)
 
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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