This beautifully neat solution was sent in by Johnny Chen.

If we rotate the figure by 90 degrees about B (clockwise). This should result in a new square A'BC'D' with a point P' inside the new square such that, PBP'= 90o and BP=BP'=2. By Pythagoras, PP'=8. Now consider triangle AP'P. The side lengths are 3, 8, and 1which satisfies Pythagoras again: 32 - 12 =(8 )2 .

So this triangle has 90 degrees at P'PA. Since we know that BPP'= 45o therefore BPA is 135 degrees.

This alternative method comes from Yatir from Maccabim-Reut High School, Israel.


AB=BC=CD=AD=x, BP=2, CP=3, AP=1. Name the angles this way: ABP=c, CBP=90-c, APB=a, CPB=b.

We need to find angle a. By the Sine Law:
x sinb = 3 sin(90-c) = 3 cosc

and
x sina = 1 sinc

Hence sinc=sina/x, cosc=3sinb/x and we use the identity sin2 c+ cos2 c=1 to eliminate c. So
sin2 (a/ x2 )+9 sin2 (b/ x2 ) =1 sin2 b =( x2 - sin2 a)/9.

Using the Cosine Law we find cosb and then eliminate b:
x2 =9+4-12cosb

so
cos2 b=[(13- x2 )/12 ]2 .

Using the identity sin2 b+ cos2 b=1 we get
( x2 - sin2 a)/9+[(13- x2 )2 ]/144=1   (1).

Finally we eliminate x. By the Cosine Law x2 =4+1-4cosa so
x2 =5-4cosa   (2).

Combine (1) and (2) and simplify and we get:
2 cos2 a/9+8/9=1

hence cos2 a=1/2.

This yields solutions: a=45 or a=135 degrees.

Now this angle cannot be 45 degrees because angle c is smaller ( AP is the shortest side of triangle APB) and the third angle of the triangle is less than 90 degrees. Hence angle a is 135 degrees.