Problem of the Day

16 October 2008

Problem. Let ABCD be a rectangle with BC = 3AB. Let P and Q be

points on side BC such that BP = P Q = QC. Prove that
DBC + DP C = DQC.
Solution. We can compute that
tan DQC = 1,

1
tan DP C = ,
2

and

1
tan DBC = .
3

Moreover, using the Tangent Sum Identity, we get

tan DBC + tan DP C
1 tan DBC tan DP C
1
+ 12
3
=
1 13 12
= 1
= tan DQC.

tan(DBC + DP C) =

Since the tangent function is one-to-one on the first quadrant, we get DBC+
DP C = DQC.
2