Hexagon ABCDEF with line AC and BD intersecting at P. What is the angle of AFP?
Hello, this is my first post on this forum, so apologies for all my poor formatting.
My question is this:
Is it possible to find $\theta$ using only simple geometry, ie. not trig?
It is simple to solve with trig, my solution below:
Note that $\angle BAP$ is $30^\circ$, and $\angle APB$ is $60^\circ$.
Thus let $AB=\sqrt{3}$. Note $AB=AF$.
It is clear from the classic $30^\circ$-$60^\circ$-$90^\circ$ triangle that $AP=2$.
And from triangle $AFP$ it is clear $\tan{\theta}=\frac{AP}{AF}=\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} $
Therefore, $\theta=\arctan{\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}}}\approx 49.1^\circ$
This number appears to be irrational. Wolfram Alpha's continued fractions make me pretty sure of this. Does this mean the angle is impossible to find without trig? Is it provable that this cannot be found with only simple geometry?
Thanks, and sorry for my poor formatting :)
