Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

Discussion in 'Homework Help' started by Hiep HO, Mar 20, 2011.

Huge help in Trigonometry needed!
  1. Unread #1 - Mar 20, 2011 at 6:57 PM
  2. Hiep HO
    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2011
    Posts:
    47
    Referrals:
    2
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    Hiep HO Member
    Banned

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    Hi Guys!

    I came across this question that baffled ma mind...
    Would appreciate it if you kind chaps could help me out?


    =========Typed exactly from my sheet=========

    3. Find values for x in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ π.

    (i) 2sinx cosx = sinx
    (i) 2sin²x - cosx -1 = 0

    --------------------------------------
    ==KEY==
    π - Pi
    --------------------------------------

    Thanks to everyone who particated I stay alive for 1 more day
    Well appreciated!
     
  3. Unread #2 - Mar 20, 2011 at 8:07 PM
  4. malyce
    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2011
    Posts:
    494
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    malyce Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    More algebra/trig! YAY!

    Easy peasy, baby. Do you remember your algebra rules?

    So we have:
    (i) 2sinx cosx = sinx

    There's a sinx on both sides. What's that tell you? It tells me they're going to cancel each other out if we divided both sides by sinx.

    2cosx = 1. After we divide both sides by sin x. What's next you ask! Why, I'll tell you! Lets get that cosx alone.

    cosx = 1/2. (dividing both sides by 2).

    Remember the last homework problem where you had to solve for theta? x is your theta. x = cos^-1(1/2). Now that you have an angle for x, divide 360 by it and you get your fraction for how it relates to 2*pi.

    Can you do the second question by yourself? Here's a hint for you: Sin^2x - 1 = a trig identity. That = -cos^2x. So your problem then becomes:

    -2cos²x - cosx = 0

    Rewrite it to -2cos²x = cosx.
    Divide by cosx. -2cosx = 1.
    cosx = -1/2. Look at that, same as the question above.
     
  5. Unread #3 - Mar 21, 2011 at 1:29 AM
  6. Koot
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2008
    Posts:
    612
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    Koot Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    Malyce, you need to check your algebra.

    2sin²x - 1 =/= -2cos²x

    This would only be true if the -1 was a -2.
     
  7. Unread #4 - Mar 21, 2011 at 8:39 AM
  8. malyce
    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2011
    Posts:
    494
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    malyce Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    you're right, that's my fault. I'll resolve this later today. That's what I get for doing math on 56 hours of no sleep.

    It should turn into 2sinx = cosx/sinx + arcsinx

    2sinx = arctanx+arcsinx
     
  9. Unread #5 - Mar 21, 2011 at 7:24 PM
  10. Koot
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2008
    Posts:
    612
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    Koot Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    I don't know what you're doing but if you simplify it, then what I got was.

    2cos²x + cosx - 1 = 0

    Then you can treat it as a quadratic equation.
     
  11. Unread #6 - Mar 21, 2011 at 7:37 PM
  12. malyce
    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2011
    Posts:
    494
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    malyce Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    That doesn't work as a quadratic. If it was cos²x + cosx - 1 = 0 it would be, or
    cos²x + 2cosx + 1 = 0.

    This is just an ugly problem all around.
     
  13. Unread #7 - Mar 21, 2011 at 7:42 PM
  14. malyce
    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2011
    Posts:
    494
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    malyce Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    That doesn't work as a quadratic. If it was cos²x + cosx - 1 = 0 it would be, or
    cos²x + 2cosx + 1 = 0.

    This is just an ugly problem all around.

    Wait, my brain derped. You can apply the quadradic formula to this, but you still won't get a single sign or cosine value for x.
     
  15. Unread #8 - Mar 21, 2011 at 7:43 PM
  16. malyce
    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2011
    Posts:
    494
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    malyce Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    That doesn't work as a quadratic. If it was cos²x + cosx - 1 = 0 it would be, or
    cos²x + 2cosx + 1 = 0.

    This is just an ugly problem all around.

    Wait, my brain derped. You can apply the quadradic formula to this, but you still won't get a single sin or cosine value for x.
     
  17. Unread #9 - Mar 21, 2011 at 8:26 PM
  18. Koot
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2008
    Posts:
    612
    Referrals:
    0
    Sythe Gold:
    0

    Koot Forum Addict

    Huge help in Trigonometry needed!

    Yes you will... I'm not even sure what you're doing anymore.

    If you sub in cosx for say z

    Then it'll be 2z² + z - 1 = 0

    This can easily be factorable into (2z - 1)(z + 1) = 0

    Sub back in cosx and now you can easily find out the values of x.
     
< Help with Matrices | Need help with logarithms >

Users viewing this thread
1 guest


 
 
Adblock breaks this site