Find the value of tan(π/7)·tan(2π/7)·tan(3π/7).

Answer: 7\sqrt{7}

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Define the angle and use trigonometric identities

Let's define θ=π7\theta = \frac{\pi}{7} to simplify the expression. The problem then becomes finding the value of tan⁡(θ)tan⁡(2θ)tan⁡(3θ)\tan(\theta)\tan(2\theta)\tan(3\theta). We know that 7θ=π7\theta = \pi, which implies 4θ=π−3θ4\theta = \pi - 3\theta.

Step 2: Apply tangent to both sides

Taking the tangent of both sides of the equation 4θ=π−3θ4\theta = \pi - 3\theta, we get tan⁡(4θ)=tan⁡(π−3θ)\tan(4\theta) = \tan(\pi - 3\theta). Since tan⁡(π−x)=−tan⁡(x)\tan(\pi - x) = -\tan(x), this simplifies to tan⁡(4θ)=−tan⁡(3θ)\tan(4\theta) = -\tan(3\theta).

Step 3: Expand using tangent multiple angle formulas

We use the multiple angle formulas for tangent: tan⁡(2x)=2tan⁡x1−tan⁡2x\tan(2x) = \frac{2\tan x}{1 - \tan^2 x}, tan⁡(3x)=3tan⁡x−tan⁡3x1−3tan⁡2x\tan(3x) = \frac{3\tan x - \tan^3 x}{1 - 3\tan^2 x}, and tan⁡(4x)=2tan⁡(2x)1−tan⁡2(2x)\tan(4x) = \frac{2\tan(2x)}{1 - \tan^2(2x)}. Substituting these into the equation tan⁡(4θ)=−tan⁡(3θ)\tan(4\theta) = -\tan(3\theta) gives the expanded form.

Step 4: Simplify the equation

Let t=tan⁡θt = \tan\theta. After cross-multiplication and simplification, we get a polynomial equation in terms of tt. We can factor out tt from the left side of the equation tan⁡(4θ)=−tan⁡(3θ)\tan(4\theta) = -\tan(3\theta) if tan⁡θ≠0\tan\theta \neq 0. Since θ=π/7\theta = \pi/7, tan⁡θ≠0\tan\theta \neq 0. The simplified equation is tan⁡6θ−21tan⁡4θ+35tan⁡2θ−7=0\tan^6\theta - 21\tan^4\theta + 35\tan^2\theta - 7 = 0.

Step 5: Relate to roots of a polynomial

Let x=tan⁡2θx = \tan^2\theta. The equation becomes x3−21x2+35x−7=0x^3 - 21x^2 + 35x - 7 = 0. The roots of this cubic equation are tan⁡2(π/7)\tan^2(\pi/7), tan⁡2(2π/7)\tan^2(2\pi/7), and tan⁡2(3π/7)\tan^2(3\pi/7).

Step 6: Apply Vieta's formulas

According to Vieta's formulas, for a cubic equation ax3+bx2+cx+d=0ax^3 + bx^2 + cx + d = 0, the product of the roots is −d/a-d/a. In our case, the product of the roots tan⁡2(π/7)\tan^2(\pi/7), tan⁡2(2π/7)\tan^2(2\pi/7), and tan⁡2(3π/7)\tan^2(3\pi/7) is −(−7)/1=7-(-7)/1 = 7.

Step 7: Calculate the final product

Since π/7\pi/7, 2π/72\pi/7, and 3π/73\pi/7 are all in the first quadrant, their tangent values are positive. Therefore, the product tan⁡(π/7)⋅tan⁡(2π/7)⋅tan⁡(3π/7)\tan(\pi/7) \cdot \tan(2\pi/7) \cdot \tan(3\pi/7) must be positive. Taking the square root of the product of the squares of the tangents, we get 7\sqrt{7}.

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