A piece of uniform wire is bent into three sides of a square \(ABCD\) so that the side \(AD\) is missing. Show that if it is first hung up by the point \(A\) and then by the point \(B\) then the angle between the two directions of \(BC\) is \(\tan^{-1}18.\)
Solution:
In the coordinate system where \(A\) is \((0,0)\) and \(AD\) is the \(x\)-axis and \(AB\) the \(y\)-axis and all side lengths are \(2\), we find the centre of mass of each of the sides are:
\begin{align*}
AB :& (0,1) \\
BC :& (1,2) \\
CD :& (2,1) \\
\\
ABCD:& \l 1, \frac{4}{3} \r
\end{align*}
When hung from \(A\), the angle \(AB\) makes to the vertical is \(\alpha\) and the angle \(BC\) makes to the vertical will be \(90^{\circ} + \alpha\).
When hung from \(B\) the angle \(BC\) makes to the vertical will be \(\beta\). The value we are interested in therefore is \(\beta + 90^{\circ} + \alpha\)
\begin{align*}
&& \tan \alpha &= \frac{1}{\frac{4}{3}} \\
&&& = \frac{4}{3} \\
\\
&& \tan \beta &= \frac{\frac{2}{3}}{1} \\
&&&= \frac{2}{3} \\
\\
&& \tan \l \beta + (90^{\circ} + \alpha) \r &= \frac{\tan \beta + \tan\l 90^{\circ} + \alpha \r}{1 - \tan \beta \tan\l 90^{\circ} + \alpha \r} \\
&&&= \frac{\frac23 + \frac43}{1- \frac23 \frac43} \\
&&&= \frac{2}{1 - \frac89} \\
&&&= 18
\end{align*}