Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 1

Sample Problems

Solve each of the following equations.

1.) sin x = sin2 x 6.) cos x sin x = cos x

2.) 2 cos2 x 5 cos x = 3 7.) tan x = tan2 x

3.) 3 (1 sin x) = 2 cos2 x 8.) 2 cos x sin x + 2 cos x sin x = 1

4.) sin x = cos x 9.) cos x = 1 + sin2 x
1
5.) tan2 x = 10.) 7 sin x + 5 = 2 cos2 x
3

Practice Problems

Solve each of the following equations.

1.) 1 + sin x = 2 cos2 x 3

8.) tan x sin2 x = tan x
4
2.) 3 cos x + 3 = 2 sin2 x
1 + sin x cos x
9.) + =4
3.) cos3 x = cos2 x cos x 1 + sin x

4.) 2 cos2 x cos x = 3 1 1

10.) sin2 x cos x + cos x sin2 x =
2 2
5.) 2 sin2 x = cos x + 1
11.) cot x = cos x
6.) 2 cos2 x + 3 sin x = 3
p 1
2
7.) sec x = 4 12.) tan x 2= p
tan x + 2

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 2

Sample Problems - Answers

2
1.) x = k1 and x = + 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z 2) x = + 2k where k 2 Z
2 3
5
3.) x = + 2k1 and x = + 2k2 and x = + 2k3 where k1 ; k2 ; k3 2 Z
2 6 6

4.) x = +k where k 2 Z 5.) x = +k where k 2 Z 6.) x = +k where k 2 Z

4 6 2

7.) x = + k1 and x = k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z

4

8.) x = + 2k1 and x = + 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z 9.) x = 2k where k 2 Z

3 2
7
10.) x = + 2k1 and x = + 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z
6 6

Practice Problems - Answers

5 3
1.) x = + 2k1 and x = + 2k2 and x = + 2k3 where k1 ; k2 ; k3 2 Z
6 6 2

2.) x = + 2k1 and x = 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z 3.) x = + k1 ; and x = 2k2 ; where k1 ; k2 2 Z

3 2

4.) x = + 2k where k 2 Z 5.) x = + 2k1 and + 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z

3
5
6.) x = + 2k1 ; x = + 2k2 ; and x = + 2k3 where k1 ; k2 ; k3 2 Z
2 6 6
2
7.) x = + k where k 2 Z 8.) x = k ; x = + 2k ; and x = + 2k where k1 ; k2 ; k3 2 Z
3 3 3

9.) x = + 2k where k 2 Z 10.) x = + k1 ; and x = + 2k2 where k1 ; k2 2 Z

3 4

11.) x = +k where k 2 Z 12.) x = +k where k 2 Z

2 3

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 3

Sample Problems - Solutions

1.) sin x = sin2 x

Solution:

sin x = sin2 x add sin2 x

sin2 x + sin x = 0 factor out sin x
sin x (sin x + 1) = 0

sin x = 0 or sin x + 1 = 0
sin x = 1

If sin x = 0; then x = k where k 2 Z: If sin x + 1 = 0; then sin x = 1 and so x = + 2k where k 2 Z.

2
2.) 2 cos2 x 5 cos x = 3
Solution: This equaton is quadratic in cos x: If helps, we may introduce a new variable, a = cos x:

2 cos2 x 5 cos x = 3 Let a = cos x

2a2 5a = 3
2a2 5a 3 = 0
1
(2a + 1) (a 3) = 0 =) a= or a = 3
2
1
cos x = or cos x = 3
2

1 2
The solution of cos x = is x = + 2k . There is no solution of cos x = 3.
2 3

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 4

3.) 3 (1 sin x) = 2 cos2 x

Solution: After we write cos2 x = 1 sin2 x, this equation wil become quadratic in sin x:

3 (1 sin x) = 2 cos2 x cos2 x = 1 sin2 x

3 (1 sin x) = 2 1 sin2 x distribute
3 3 sin x = 2 2 sin2 x add 2 sin2 x
2
2 sin x 3 sin x + 3 = 2 subtract 2
2 sin2 x 3 sin x + 1 = 0 factor
(2 sin x 1) (sin x 1) = 0
1
sin x = or sin x = 1
2

1 5
The solutoin of sin x = is x = + 2k and x = + 2k where k 2 Z. The solution of sin x = 1 is
2 6 6
x= + 2k where k 2 Z.
2
4.) sin x = cos x
Solution: Since neither sin x nor cos x is squared, it is di cult to eliminate either one of them. There are
several methods to solve this equation. One method involves squaring both sides of the two equation and
then eliminating one trigonometricfunction in terms of the other. Notice that, because of the squaring, this
method creates extranneous solutions so we have to carefully check our solution. The method presented
here is a clever alternative.
Case 1. If cos x = 0
p
If cos x = 0; then clearly sin x = 1 since sin x = 1 cos2 x: Then x is clearly not a solution of the
equation sin x = cos x.
Case 2. If cos x 6= 0; then we can divide by it.

sin x = cos x divide by cos x 6= 0

sin x
= 1
cos x
tan x = 1

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 5

The solution is x = + k where k 2 Z.

4
1
5.) tan2 x =
3
Solution:
1
tan2 x =
3
1
tan x = p
3
1 1
tan x = p or tan x = p
3 3

1 1
The solution of tan x = p is x = + k where k 2 Z, and the solution of tan x = p is x = +k
3 6 3 6
where k 2 Z.

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 6

6.) cos x sin x = cos x

Solution:

cos x sin x = cos x subtract cos x

cos x sin x cos x = 0 factor out cos x
cos x (sin x 1) = 0

cos x = 0 or sin x 1=0

cos x = 0 or sin x = 1

The solution of cos x = 0 is x = + 2k where k 2 Z (notice this can be written simpler, as x = + k )

2 2
and the solution of sin x = + 2k where k 2 Z: As the picture already indicates, the second case does
2
not bring in any new solutions; if sin x = 1 then of course also cos x = 0. The nal answer is x = + k
2
where k 2 Z.

7.) tan x = tan2 x

Solution:

tan x = tan2 x subtract tan x

0 = tan2 x tan x factor out tan x
0 = tan x (tan x 1)

tan x = 0 or tan x = 1

The solution of tan x = 0 is x = k where k 2 Z, and the solution of tan x = 1 is x = + k where k 2 Z.

4

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 7

8.) 2 cos x sin x + 2 cos x sin x = 1

Solution:

2 cos x sin x + 2 cos x sin x = 1 subtract 1

2 cos x sin x + 2 cos x sin x 1 = 0 factor by grouping
2 cos x (sin x + 1) (sin x + 1) = 0
(2 cos x 1) (sin x + 1) = 0

2 cos x 1 = 0 or sin x + 1 = 0
1
cos x = or sin x = 1
2

9.) cos x = 1 + sin2 x

Solution:

cos x = 1 + sin2 x sin2 x = 1 cos2 x

cos x = 1 + 1 cos2 x add cos2 x
2
cos x + cos x = 2 subtract 2
2
cos x + cos x 2 = 0 factor
(cos x 1) (cos x + 2) = 0

cos x = 1 or cos x = 2

The solution of cos x = 1 is x = 2k where k 2 Z, and the equation cos x = 2 has no solution.

c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010

Lecture Notes Trigonometric Equations 2 page 8

10.) 7 sin x + 5 = 2 cos2 x

Solution:

7 sin x + 5 = 2 cos2 x cos2 x = 1 sin2 x

7 sin x + 5 = 2 1 sin2 x distribute
7 sin x + 5 = 2 2 sin2 x add 2 sin2 x
2
2 sin x + 7 sin x + 5 = 2 subtract 2
2 sin2 x + 7 sin x + 3 = 0 factor
(2 sin x + 1) (sin x + 3) = 0
1
sin x = or sin x = 3
2

1 5
The solution of sin x = is x = + 2k and x = + 2k where k 2 Z, and the equation cos x = 3
2 6 6
has no solution.

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c copyright Hidegkuti, Powell, 2009 Last revised: May 26, 2010