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Worked Examples · Example 12

Q.Find the value of tan⁡13π12\tan\frac{13\pi}{12}.

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The key idea is to rewrite 13π12\frac{13\pi}{12} as a sum of known angles, then apply the tangent addition formula. The value is 2−3\boxed{2 - \sqrt{3}}.

Why This Approach Works

The angle 13π12\frac{13\pi}{12} is not one of the standard angles you memorise (0,π6,π4,π3,π20, \frac{\pi}{6}, \frac{\pi}{4}, \frac{\pi}{3}, \frac{\pi}{2}, etc.). But it is a sum of two such angles: 13π12=π+π12\frac{13\pi}{12} = \pi + \frac{\pi}{12}. Since tan⁡(π+θ)=tan⁡θ\tan(\pi + \theta) = \tan\theta (tangent has period π\pi), the problem reduces to finding tan⁡π12\tan\frac{\pi}{12}.

Now π12=15∘\frac{\pi}{12} = 15^\circ, which is not standard either — but it is the difference of two standard angles: π4−π6\frac{\pi}{4} - \frac{\pi}{6}. So we use the tangent subtraction formula.

Tip

Whenever you see an angle like 13π12\frac{13\pi}{12}, first check if it can be written as π+(something)\pi + \text{(something)} or 2π−(something)2\pi - \text{(something)} to exploit periodicity. This often reduces the problem to a smaller, friendlier angle.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Reduce the angle using periodicity.

The tangent function has period π\pi, meaning tan⁡(θ+π)=tan⁡θ\tan(\theta + \pi) = \tan\theta for all θ\theta where defined.

13π12=π+π12\frac{13\pi}{12} = \pi + \frac{\pi}{12}

Therefore:

tan⁡13π12=tan⁡(π+π12)=tan⁡π12\tan\frac{13\pi}{12} = \tan\left(\pi + \frac{\pi}{12}\right) = \tan\frac{\pi}{12}

Watch out

A common mistake is to use 2π2\pi as the period for tangent. While sine and cosine have period 2π2\pi, tangent has period π\pi. Using 2π2\pi here would still work numerically but is conceptually incorrect.

2. Express π12\frac{\pi}{12} as a difference of known angles.

π12=π4−π6\frac{\pi}{12} = \frac{\pi}{4} - \frac{\pi}{6}

Both π4\frac{\pi}{4} (45∘45^\circ) and π6\frac{\pi}{6} (30∘30^\circ) have known tangent values: tan⁡π4=1\tan\frac{\pi}{4} = 1 and tan⁡π6=13\tan\frac{\pi}{6} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}.

3. Apply the tangent subtraction formula.

tan⁡(A−B)=tan⁡A−tan⁡B1+tan⁡Atan⁡B\tan(A - B) = \frac{\tan A - \tan B}{1 + \tan A \tan B}

Let A=π4A = \frac{\pi}{4}, B=π6B = \frac{\pi}{6}:

tan⁡π12=tan⁡π4−tan⁡π61+tan⁡π4⋅tan⁡π6=1−131+1⋅13\tan\frac{\pi}{12} = \frac{\tan\frac{\pi}{4} - \tan\frac{\pi}{6}}{1 + \tan\frac{\pi}{4} \cdot \tan\frac{\pi}{6}} = \frac{1 - \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}}{1 + 1 \cdot \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}}

4. Simplify the expression.

Combine the numerator and denominator:

1−131+13=3−133+13=3−13+1\frac{1 - \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}}{1 + \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}} = \frac{\frac{\sqrt{3} - 1}{\sqrt{3}}}{\frac{\sqrt{3} + 1}{\sqrt{3}}} = \frac{\sqrt{3} - 1}{\sqrt{3} + 1}

5. Rationalise the denominator.

Multiply numerator and denominator by 3−1\sqrt{3} - 1 (the conjugate of the denominator):

3−13+1×3−13−1=(3−1)2(3)2−(1)2=3−23+13−1=4−232=2−3\frac{\sqrt{3} - 1}{\sqrt{3} + 1} \times \frac{\sqrt{3} - 1}{\sqrt{3} - 1} = \frac{(\sqrt{3} - 1)^2}{(\sqrt{3})^2 - (1)^2} = \frac{3 - 2\sqrt{3} + 1}{3 - 1} = \frac{4 - 2\sqrt{3}}{2} = 2 - \sqrt{3}

›Proof

Why rationalising works: The denominator 3+1\sqrt{3} + 1 is irrational. Multiplying by its conjugate 3−1\sqrt{3} - 1 gives (3)2−12=3−1=2(\sqrt{3})^2 - 1^2 = 3 - 1 = 2, a rational number. The numerator becomes (3−1)2=3−23+1=4−23(\sqrt{3} - 1)^2 = 3 - 2\sqrt{3} + 1 = 4 - 2\sqrt{3}. Dividing by 2 yields 2−32 - \sqrt{3}.

6. State the final result.

Since tan⁡13π12=tan⁡π12\tan\frac{13\pi}{12} = \tan\frac{\pi}{12}, we have:

tan⁡13π12=2−3\tan\frac{13\pi}{12} = 2 - \sqrt{3}

✓Final answer

The value is 2−3\boxed{2 - \sqrt{3}}.

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