40 MATHEMATICS

MAGAZINE

ProofWithoutWords:A Sumand Productof

ThreeTangents
ROGER B. NELSEN
Lewis & ClarkCollege
Portland,OR 97219

THEOREM.If al, :, and y denoteangles in an acutetriangle,then

tan (x + tan ,B + tan y = tan (x tan ,Btan y.

Proof:

tany
tany tanoc + tan:

ct

ct

- >

ct

- >

tanoc tan,B tany

Note: The theoremholds for any angles a, ,B, y (none an odd multipleof r/2)
whose sum is r.

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