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2021 Fall AMC 12B Problem 13

Problem 13 of 25IntermediateGeometry

Let c=2π11.c = \dfrac{2\pi}{11}. What is the value of sin3csin6csin9csin12csin15csincsin2csin3csin4csin5c?\small \dfrac{\sin 3c \cdot \sin 6c \cdot \sin 9c \cdot \sin 12c \cdot \sin 15c}{\sin c \cdot \sin 2c \cdot \sin 3c \cdot \sin 4c \cdot \sin 5c}?

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Solution

Write each angle as kc=2πk11.kc = \dfrac{2\pi k}{11}. Reducing modulo 2π,2\pi, sin12c=sinc\sin 12c = \sin c and sin15c=sin4c.\sin 15c = \sin 4c. So the numerator is sin3csin6csin9c\sin 3c \cdot \sin 6c \cdot \sin 9c sincsin4c.\cdot \sin c \cdot \sin 4c. Cancelling the common factors sinc,\sin c, sin3c,\sin 3c, sin4c\sin 4c leaves sin6csin9csin2csin5c.\dfrac{\sin 6c \cdot \sin 9c}{\sin 2c \cdot \sin 5c}. Now sin9c=sin(2π2c)=sin2c\sin 9c = \sin\left(2\pi - 2c\right) = -\sin 2c and sin6c=sin(2π5c)=sin5c,\sin 6c = \sin\left(2\pi - 5c\right) = -\sin 5c, so the ratio equals (sin5c)(sin2c)sin2csin5c=1.\dfrac{(-\sin 5c)(-\sin 2c)}{\sin 2c \cdot \sin 5c} = 1. Thus, the correct answer is E.

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Concepts: trigonometric identity · symmetry

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