Prove that tanx + tan(π/3 + x) − tan(π/3 − x) = 3 tan3x

Prove that: \[ \tan x+\tan\left(\frac{\pi}{3}+x\right) -\tan\left(\frac{\pi}{3}-x\right) = 3\tan 3x \]

Solution

Let

\[ \tan x=t \]

Using the formula

\[ \tan(A\pm B) = \frac{\tan A \pm \tan B}{1 \mp \tan A\tan B} \]

and

\[ \tan\frac{\pi}{3}=\sqrt{3} \]

we get

\[ \tan\left(\frac{\pi}{3}+x\right) = \frac{\sqrt{3}+t}{1-\sqrt{3}t} \]
\[ \tan\left(\frac{\pi}{3}-x\right) = \frac{\sqrt{3}-t}{1+\sqrt{3}t} \]

Now consider the left hand side:

\[ LHS = t+\frac{\sqrt{3}+t}{1-\sqrt{3}t} -\frac{\sqrt{3}-t}{1+\sqrt{3}t} \]

Take the common denominator:

\[ (1-\sqrt{3}t)(1+\sqrt{3}t) = 1-3t^2 \]

Therefore,

\[ LHS = \frac{ t(1-3t^2) +(\sqrt{3}+t)(1+\sqrt{3}t) -(\sqrt{3}-t)(1-\sqrt{3}t) } {1-3t^2} \]

Expand the terms:

\[ (\sqrt{3}+t)(1+\sqrt{3}t) = \sqrt{3}+4t+\sqrt{3}t^2 \]
\[ (\sqrt{3}-t)(1-\sqrt{3}t) = \sqrt{3}-4t+\sqrt{3}t^2 \]

Substituting,

\[ LHS = \frac{ t-3t^3+\sqrt{3}+4t+\sqrt{3}t^2 -\sqrt{3}+4t-\sqrt{3}t^2 } {1-3t^2} \]
\[ = \frac{9t-3t^3}{1-3t^2} \]
\[ = \frac{3(3t-t^3)}{1-3t^2} \]

Using the identity

\[ \tan 3x = \frac{3t-t^3}{1-3t^2} \]

we get

\[ LHS=3\tan 3x \]

Hence proved.

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