Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Page 1
I. Basic Equations
Practice Problems
II. Finding All Solutions
III. The Importance of Algebra
Solving a trig equation is a lot like baking a cake (my favorite is German
chocolate). Start with a big bowl. Then mix in the proper ingredients
including exact values and identities. Finally, stir in some algebra and pop
in the oven (or in this case your brain). Heat for several days. For an added
treat, cover with fat-free graphs. Are you hungry yet?
I.
Basic Equations
Lets start with the essentials.
1
Example 10.1. Find all on the interval [0, 2) such that sin = .
2
Here are 3 methods that will enable you to solve and interpret the results.
A.
Unit Circle
If you recall from Topic 5, ordered pairs on the unit circle represent the
values of sine and cosine. Specifically, if is in standard position,
x = cos and y = sin .
Page 2
1
1
To solve sin = , simply select all angles whose y coordinate is .
2
2
3 1
3 1
,
2 ,2
2 2
3
, 12
2
5
6
7
6
11
6
3
, 12
2
7
11
1
and
.
Solution: sin = for =
2
6
6
B.
Right Triangles
This method relies on exact values and reference angles. Begin by
finding the quadrants where terminates. In our example, with sin <
0, terminates
in III or IV. Using the appropriate right triangle with
3
1
leading to
two solutions
=
6
6
11
2 = 2 =
6
6
1 = +
C.
Page 3
3
2
Now just read off all the angles whose output is 0. Since cos =
2
3
3
= 0, the two solutions on [0, 2) for cos x = 0 are and
.
cos
2
2
2
1
Even our original example sin = , can be explained using a
2
graph. Just look for the intersection of y = sin x with the horizontal
1
line y = .
2
1
+ 6
2 6
12
I recommend methods B and C. Most of trig can be explained by triangles, functions or graphs.
Page 4
PRACTICE PROBLEMS:
10.1.
a) cos x = 0
b) sin x = 1
c) csc x = 1
d) tan x = 1
e) tan x = 1
f) sin x =
3
2
1
g) cos x =
2
h) sec x = 2
sin
all
tan
cos
Answers
II.
Page 5
4
On [0, 2), only cos = 1. Thus the only solution is x = . But
when you consider the extended graph (due to periodicity), cos x has
many more outputs of 1. In fact, cos x = 1 has an infinite number
of solutions (all 2 apart). As a solution set we could express this as
3
3
5
z }| { z }| {
z }| { z }| {
. . . 4, 2, , + 2, + 4 . . . . More likely, this same solution is written
x = + 2k where k is an integer.
Try setting k = {2, 1, 0, 1, 2} and youll see why this works.
Suppose we want to find all solutions to cos x = 0. Once again, it helps to
read a graph. From the graph above, cos x is at 0 when
3
3
, . . . . Since solutions are all apart, we can
x = ... , , ,
2
2 2 2
write
x = + k.
2
Page 6
1
Exercise 1: Find all solutions for sin x = .
2
In part I we found solutions to this equation on [0, 2). Try writing all
Answer
solutions and then click on answer to check.
To finish parts I and II, here are solutions to several equations, both on
[0, 2) and all solutions.
Equation
[0, 2)
All Solutions
sin x = 0
x = 0,
x = k
sin x =
csc x =
3
2
1
2
1
cos x =
2
tan x = 3
4
+ 2k
4 5
3
,
x=
5
3
3
x=
+ 2k
3
NO SOLUTION
1
csc x = = sin x = 2
2
But range of sin x is [1, 1]
+ 2k
x
=
7
4
x= ,
7
4 4
x=
+ 2k
4
x=
x=
2 5
,
3
3
x=
2
+ k
3
With all solutions the key is not just the period. You still must determine
how long it takes for the graph to return to a similar point. Then youll
know why to add on k, 2k, or whatever is appropriate.
III.
Page 7
x = 5x + 2
4x = 2
1
x=
2
sin = 5 sin + 2
4 sin = 2
1
sin =
2
Solve on [0, 2)
= ?
2) Quadratic Equations
a)
4x 3 = 0
3
x2 =
4
r
3
3
=
x=
4
2
2x2 x 3 = 0
b)
(2x 3)(x + 1) = 0
3
x = , x = 1
2
4 sin2 3 = 0
3
sin2 =
4
sin =
=
3
2
2 cos2 cos 3 = 0
(2 cos 3)(cos + 1) = 0
3
cos = , cos = 1
2
= ?
c)
Page 8
sec (sec 1) = 2
sec2 sec 2 = 0
(sec 2)(sec + 1) = 0
sec = 2, sec = 1
x(x 1) = 2
x2 x 2 = 0
(x 2)(x + 1) = 0
x = 2, x = 1
=
3) Equations Involving Substitution
2y 2 x 1 = 0 with x2 + y 2 = 1
2(1 x2 ) x 1 = 0
2x2 x + 1 = 0
2x2 + x 1 = 0
(2x 1)(x + 1) = 0
1
x = , x = 1
2
2 sin2 cos 1 = 0
2(1 cos2 ) cos 1 = 0
2 cos2 + cos 1 = 0
2 cos2 + cos 1 = 0
(2 cos 1)(cos + 1) = 0
1
cos = , cos = 1
2
= ?
Answers
c) sin 3 cos = 0
Beginning of Topic
Answers
Skills Assessment
Page 9
1. Linear Equations
sin = 12 = =
11
7
or
6
6
2. Quadratic Equations
2
3
= = or
;
2
3
3
4
5
3
sin =
= =
or
2
3
3
a) sin =
3
b) cos = has no solutions. Cosine has range [1, 1].
2
cos = 1 = =
5
or
3
3
sec = 1 = cos = 1 = =
c) sec = 2 = cos =
1
2
= =
5
= , , or
3
3
Return to Review Topic
Page 10
3
,
2 2
b) x =
3
,
2
cos
sin
3
= cos
=0
2
2
3
= 1
2
c) csc x = 1 = sin x = 1,
d) x =
5
,
4 4
e) x =
3 7
,
4 4
f) x =
4 5
,
3 3
g) x =
7
,
4 4
Ref. angle =
x=
; x terminates in I or III.
4
Ref. angle =
Ref. angle =
1
h) sec x = 2 = cos x = ,
2
Return to Review Topic
; x terminates in I or IV.
4
x=
5
,
3 3
Page 11
Exercise 1.
1
7
6
7
+2
6
11
6
12
1
11
+2
6
+2
+2
Once again, periodic behavior is causing inputs that are 2 apart to have
1
7
11
identical outputs. Thus for sin x = , x =
+ 2k or
+ 2k.
2
6
6
Return to Review Topic
Exercise 2.
a) 2 tan x sec x = 0
sin x
1
= 2
=0
cos x
cos x
= 2 sin x 1 = 0
5
sin x = 12 = x = , or
6
6
Identity substitution
Mult by cos x
Factor by grouping.
= (2 sin + 1)(cos + 1) = 0
11
7
sin = 12 = =
or
6
6
cos = 1 = =
c) sin 3 cos
= 0
= sin = 3 cos
sin
= 3
=
cos
= tan = 3
4
= or
3
3
Return to Review Topic