Topic: The set of all possible angles

Question: Which set of angles satisfies the equation sin θ = sin 60∘?

Answer choices:

{ 3 } { 3 }
2π π
A θ= − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ ∪ − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{3 } { 3 }
π 2π
B θ= + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ ∪ + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{ 3 } { 3 }
5π 4π
C θ= − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ ∪ − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{ 3 } { 3 }
4π 5π
D θ= + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ ∪ + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

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Solution: B

The value of sine is positive, which means the y-coordinate is positive, and
therefore that angles which satisfy the equation are found in the first and
second quadrants.

We’ll convert the degree angle to radians.

( 180∘ ) 180
π 60π π
60∘ = 60∘ = =
3

From the unit circle, we know that

(3)
π 3
sin =
2

So π /3 is one solution, but we need to include all other angles that are
coterminal with π /3.

{3 }
π
+ 2πk : k ∈ Z

But angles in the first and second quadrant have equivalent sine values,
which means 2π /3 is also a solution, as well as all angles that are coterminal
with 2π /3:

{ 3 }
2π
+ 2πk : k ∈ Z

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Topic: The set of all possible angles

Question: Which set of angles satisfies the equation?

( 8 )
11π
cos θ = cos

Answer choices:

{ 8 }
57π
A θ= − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{ 8 }
45π
B θ= + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{ 8 }
75π
C θ= − + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

{ 8 }
29π
D θ= + 2πk : k ∈ ℤ

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Solution: C

The set that satisfies the equation could be the set of angles that are all
coterminal with 11π /8. So we’ll check to see which of the angles given in
the answer choices, if any, is coterminal with 11π /8.

57π 11π (−57 − 11)π 68π 17π

− − = =− =−
8 8 8 8 2

45π 11π (45 − 11)π 34π 17π

− = = =
8 8 8 8 4

75π 11π (−75 − 11)π 86π 43π

− − = =− =−
8 8 8 8 4

29π 11π (29 − 11)π 18π 9π

− = = =
8 8 8 8 4

None of these results give an angle that’s a multiple of 2π, which means
none of the angles in the answer choices are coterminal with 11π /8.

The given equation tells us that the cosines of the angles are equal, and
we know that cosine always gives the x-value in our coordinate point in the
unit circle.

Because the angle 11π /8 is in the third quadrant, we can also find an equal
cosine value in the second quadrant, where we’re at the same point along
the x-axis, but at the opposite point along the y-axis.

We know that 11π /8 is 3π /8 past π, which means by symmetry that the

angle in the second quadrant with the same cosine is 3π /8 short of π, or at

3π 8π 3π 5π
π− = − =
8 8 8 8

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Which means that the correct angle set must be coterminal with 5π /8. We’ll
check the answers again to see which angle is coterminal with 5π /8.

57π 5π (−57 − 5)π 62π 31π

− − = =− =−
8 8 8 8 4

45π 5π (45 − 5)π 40π

− = = = 5π
8 8 8 8

75π 5π (−75 − 5)π 80π

− − = =− = − 10π
8 8 8 8

29π 5π (29 − 5)π 24π

− = = = 3π
8 8 8 8

Only −75π /8 gives an integer multiple of 2π (the angle is five full rotations in
the negative direction, since 2π(−5) = − 10π).

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Topic: The set of all possible angles

Question: Solve cos θ = 1/2 for all possible values of θ.

Answer choices:

A θ = {60∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z} ∪ {300∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

B θ = {30∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z} ∪ {330∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

C θ = {60∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z} ∪ {120∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

D θ = {30∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z} ∪ {150∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

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Solution: A

The equation is telling us that the value of cosine is positive, which means
the value of the x-coordinate is positive. Therefore, the solution will be
limited to values of θ in the first and fourth quadrants.

From the unit circle, we know that

1
cos 60∘ =
2

So 60∘ is one solution, but we need to include all other angles that are
coterminal with 60∘.

{60∘ ± (360∘)k : k = 0,1,2,…} or θ = {60∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

We can find the other set of angles by symmetry. If 60∘ gives us one set of
angles, and 60∘ is 60∘ “above” the x-axis, then the other set of angles is at
60∘ “below” the x-axis, so the other angle is (360 − 60)∘ = 300∘. Which means
the set

{300∘ ± (360∘)k : k = 0,1,2,…} or θ = {300∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

also satisfies the equation. Combining these results, the complete solution
set is

θ = {60∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z} ∪ {300∘ + (360∘)k : k ∈ Z}

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