Spooky Inverse Functions

Geometry Level 3

The solutions to the following equation for x > 0 x>0 can be expressed in the form x = a ± b c x=a \pm b\sqrt{c} , where a a , b b , and c c are positive integers with c c being square free.

sin ( tan 1 ( x ) + cot 1 ( 1 x ) ) = 1 3 \sin{\left( \tan^{-1}{(x)} + \cot^{-1}{\left( \frac{1}{x} \right)} \right)} = \frac{1}{3}

What is the value of a + b + c a+b+c ?


The answer is 7.

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1 solution

sin ( tan 1 ( x ) + cot 1 ( 1 x ) ) = 1 3 Note that cot 1 ( 1 x ) = tan 1 ( x ) sin ( 2 tan 1 ( x ) ) = 1 3 By half-angle tangent substitution: 2 x 1 + x 2 = 1 3 sin θ = 2 tan θ 2 1 + tan 2 θ 2 x 2 6 x + 1 = 0 x = 6 ± 2 2 \begin{aligned} \sin \left(\tan^{-1} (x) + \color{#3D99F6} \cot^{-1} \left(\frac 1x\right) \right) & = \frac 13 & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{Note that }\cot^{-1} \left(\frac 1x\right) = \tan^{-1} (x) \\ \sin \left(2 \tan^{-1} (x) \right) & = \frac 13 & \small \color{#3D99F6} \text{By half-angle tangent substitution:} \\ \frac {2x}{1+x^2} & = \frac 13 & \small \color{#3D99F6} \sin \theta = \frac {2 \tan \frac \theta2}{1+\tan^2 \frac \theta 2} \\ x^2 - 6x + 1 & = 0 \\ \implies x & = 6 \pm 2\sqrt 2 \end{aligned}

Therefore, a + b + c = 3 + 2 + 2 = 7 a+b+c = 3+2+2 = \boxed 7 .


Reference: Half-angle tangent substitution

@Daniel Hinds , we have to mention " c c is square-free", because 3 ± 8 3\pm \sqrt 8 is also a solution.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 2 years, 3 months ago

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Fixed, thanks ^^

Daniel Hinds - 2 years, 3 months ago

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