Finding $\alpha$ such that $\tan\alpha = \frac{(1+\tan 1^{\circ})\cdot (1+\tan 2^{\circ})-2}{(1-\tan 1^{\circ})\cdot(1-\tan 2^{\circ})-2}$ I am preparing for my college entry test and I ran into this problem in my book:
$$\tan\alpha = \frac{(1+\tan 1^{\circ})\cdot (1+\tan 2^{\circ})-2}{(1-\tan 1^{\circ})\cdot(1-\tan 2^{\circ})-2}$$
I should find the angle $\alpha$. Can anyone help me please? I tried solving it, but I just can't get any solution. By the way, the correct answer is $\alpha = 42^{\circ}$
Thanks!

$$\begin{align*}
V&=\frac{\tan a\tan b+\tan a+\tan b-1}{\tan a\tan b-\tan a-\tan b-1}\\ 
 &=\frac{\sin a \cos b + \cos a \sin b + \sin a\sin b - \cos a\cos b}{\sin a\sin b-\cos a\cos b-\sin a\cos b-\cos a\sin b}\\ 
 &=\frac{\sin (a+b)-\cos(a+b)}{-\cos(a+b)-\sin(a+b)}
\end{align*}$$
Now I will use:
$$\sin x-\cos y = \sin x-\sin(90^\circ-y)=2\sin\frac{x+y-90^\circ}2\cos\frac{90^\circ+x-y}2,$$ which yields for $y=x$
$$\sin x-\cos x = -2\cos45^\circ\sin(45^\circ-x)$$
and
$$\cos x +\sin y = \sin(90^\circ-x)+\sin y = 2\cos\frac{90^\circ-x-y}2\sin\frac{90^\circ-x+y}2$$
which yields for $y=x$
$$\cos x+\sin y = 2\sin45^\circ\cos(45^\circ-x)$$
Plugging this into the above formula (for $x=a+b$) I get
$$V=\frac{-2\cos45^\circ\sin(45^\circ-a-b)}{-2\sin45^\circ\cos(45^\circ-a-b)}=\tan(45^\circ-a-b)$$
