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14 Solutions of Trignometric
Equation
1. Quadratic Equations eLearn.Punjab 1. Quadratic Equations eLearn.Punjab
14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations eLearn.Punjab 14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations eLearn.Punjab

Example 2: Solve the equation: 1 + cos x = 0

14.1 Introduction
Solution: 1 + cos x = 0
⇒ cos x = -1
The Equations, containing at least one trigonometric function, are called Trigonometric
Since cos x is -ve, there is only one solution x = p in [0, 2p]
Equations, e.g., each of the following is a trigonometric equation:
Since 2p is the period of cos x
= ,= - x=+ sin 2 x sec x 1
∴ General value of x is p + 2np, n∈Z
2 3
sin x Sec x tan and

Hence solution set = {p + 2np}, n∈Z

5 4

Trigonometric equations have an ininite number of solutions due to the periodicity of the

Example 3: Solve the equation: 4 cos2x - 3 = 0

trigonometric functions. For example

If sin q = q then q = 0, ± , ± 2 ,...

Solution: 4 cos2 x - 3 = 0
= as q ∈n , where n Z .
⇒ cos 2 x =⇒ ± cos x =
which can be written 3 3
4 2
In solving trigonometric equations, irst ind the solution over the interval whose
If cos x =
3
length is equal to its period and then ind the general solution as explained in the following i.
2
Since cos x is +ve in I and IV Quadrants with the reference angle
examples:

Example 1: Solve the equation sin x =

1
2 x=

where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
6

sin x = =∴= -and x = 2

1 11
Solution: x
6 6 6
As 2p is the period of cos x.
2

sin x is positive in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle x = .

∴ + 2n + 2n , n∈Z
a 11

where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
6 General value of x are and
=
∴ x and =x= -
5 6 6
,
6 6 6
if cos x = -
3
ii.

∴ General values of x are + 2n , n ∈ Z

2
Since cos x is -ve in II and III Quadrants with reference angle x =
5
+ 2n and
6 6
  5 
where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
6
Hence solution set = + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ,n ∈ Z ∴ x= - = and x = x + =
6  6 
5 7

As 2p is the period of cos x.

6 6 6 6

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∴ General values of x are + 2n , n ∈ Z sin x cos x =

5 7 3
+ 2n and Example 2: Find the solution set of: .
6 6 4

  11  5  7  sin x cos x =

3
set = + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ∪  + 2n 
Solution: .
6   6  6  6 
Hence solution 4

⇒ ( 2sin x cos x ) =
1 3
2 4

⇒ sin 2 x =
14.2 Solution of General Trigonometric Equations 3
2
When a trigonometric equation contains more than one trigonometric functions,
trigonometric identities and algebraic formulae are used to transform such trigonometric a sin 2x is +ve in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle 2 x =
3
equation to an equivalent equation that contains only one trigonometric function.

∴ 2x = and 2 x = - = are two solutions in [ 0,2 ]

The method is illustrated in the following solved examples: 2
3 3 3

As 2p is the period of sin 2x .

Example 1: Solve: sin x + cos x = 0.

∴ + 2n and + 2n , ,
Solution: sin x + cos x = 0 2
General values of 2x are nU Z

⇒ + = ( Dividing by cos x ≠ 0 )
3 3
sin x cos x
0

⇒ General values of x are +n +n

cos x cos x
⇒ tan x + 1 = 0 ⇒ tan
- x = 1 and , nU Z
tan x is -ve in II and IV Quadrants with the reference angle
6 3
   
Hence solution set = =  + n  ∪  + n 
a

6  3 
, nU Z
x=

where x ∈ [ 0, ]
4
Note: In solving the equations of the form sin kx = c, we irst ind the solution pf sin u = c
∴ x= - = (where kx = w) and then required solution is obtained by dividing each term of this
3
,

As p is the period of tan x,

4 4
solution set by k.

∴ +n ,
3 Example 3: Solve the equation: sin 2x = cos 2x
General value of x is nU Z
4
3 
∴ Solution set =  + n 
Solution: sin2x = cos2x
4  ⇒
,n U Z.
2sinx cos x = cosx
⇒ 2sinx cos x - cosx = 0
⇒ cosx(2sinx - 1) = 0

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∴ cosx = 0 or 2sinx - 1 = 0 As 2p is the period of cos x

p 3p
∴ General values of x are + 2np and + 2np , nUZ
i. If cosx = 0

⇒ x= x= [0,2 p]
2 2
3
and where x U
2 2
⇒ x = 0 and x = 2p where x U [0, 2p]
ii. If cos x = 1
As 2p is the period of cos x .
As 2p is the period of cos x
,

p 3p
∴ General values of x are + 2np and + 2np, nUZ, ∴ General values of x are 0 + 2np and 2p + 2np, nUZ.
If 2 sin x - 1 = 0
2 2

p   3p
+ 2n p  ∪ {2np } ∪ {2p + 2np } , n ∈ z

ii.
∴ Solution Set = + 2n p  ∪ 
⇒ 2   2 
1
sin x =

{2(n + 1)p } ⊂ {2np } , n ∈ z

p
2

Since sin x is +ve in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle x =

p p 5p
where x U [0, 2p]
6

∴ x= p   3p
+ 2n p  ∪ {2n p } , n ∈ z
and x = p - = 
Hence the solution set =  + 2np  ∪ 
2   2 
6 6 6

As 2p is the period of sin x.

Sometimes it is necessary to square both sides of a trigonometric equation. In such
p p
∴ General values of x are and + 2np and 5 + 2np, nUZ, a case, extaneous roots can occur which are to be discarded. So each value of x must be
6 6
checked by substituting it in the given equation.
For example, x = 2 is an equation having a root 2. On squaring we get x2 - 4 which gives
p   3p  p   p 
Hence solution set =  + 2np  ∪  + 2n p  ∪  + 2n p  ∪ 5 + 2n p  , two roots 2 and -2. But the root -2 does not satisfy the equation x = 2. Therefore, -2 is an
2   2  6   6 
n∈ z extaneous root.

Example 4: Solve the equation: sin2 x + cos x = 1. Example 5: Solve the equation: csc=
x 3 + cot x.

Solution: sin2 x + cos x = 1 Solution: csc=

x 3 + cot x .......(i)
⇒ 1 - cos2 x + cos x = 1
⇒ - cos x (cos x - 1) = 0 ⇒ = 3+
1 cos x

⇒ or cos x - 1 = 0
sin x sin x
⇒
= 3 sin x + cos x
cos x = 0
1

⇒ 1 - cos x =3 sin x
i. If cos x = 0
p 3p
⇒x= and x = where x U [0, 2p]
⇒ (1 - cos x) 2 =
,
2 2 ( 3 sin x) 2

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⇒ 1 - 2cos x + cos 2 x =
3sin 2 x
Exercise 14
⇒ 1 - 2cos x + cos 2 x = 3(1 - cos 2 x)
1. Find the solutions of the following equations which lie in [0, 2p]
⇒ 4cos 2 x - 2cos x - 2 =
sin x = - sec x = -2 cot q =
0
3 1
i) ii) cosecq = 2 iii) iv)
⇒ 2cos 2 x - cos x - 1 =
2 3
0

⇒ (2cos x + 1)(cos x - 1) =
2. Solve the following trigonometric equations:
0
tan 2 q = ii) cos ec 2q = sec 2 q = cot 2 q =
1 4 4 1
⇒ cos
- x = or =
1 i) iii) iv)
cos x 1 3 3 3 3

Find the values of q satisfying the following equations:

2

If cos x = - 3tan 2 q + 2 3 tan q + 1 =

1
3.
tan q - secq - 1 =
i. 0
2 2
4.
2sin q + cos q - 1 =
0
p
Since cos x is -v e in II and III Quadrants with the reference angle x =
2
5.
2sin q - sin q =
0
2
6.
p 2p p 4p
0
3cos 2 q - 2 3 sin q cosq - 3sin 2 q =
3
⇒ x =p - = and x =p + = , where x U [0, 2p] 7. 0 [Hint: Divide by sin2q]
3 3 3 3 Find the solution sets of the following equations:
4 sin2q - 8cosq + 1 = 0
4p
8.
Now x = does not satisfy the given equation (i). 9. 3 tan x - sec x - 1 =0
[Hint: sin3x = 3sinx - 4sin3x]
3
10. cos 2x = sin 3x
4p 2p
∴ x = is not admissible and so x =
11. sec 3q= secq
is the only solution. 12. tan 2q + cotq = 0
3 3

Since 2p is the period of cos x

13. sin 2x + sinx = 0
14. sin 4x - sin 2x = cos 3x
2p
∴ General value of x is + 2n p , nUZ
15. sin x + cos 3x = cos 5x
16. sin 3 x + sin 2x + sin x = 0
sin 7x - sin x = sin 3 x
3

and x = 2p where x U [0, 2p]

ii. If cos x = 1
⇒ x= 0
17.
18. sin x + sin 3x + sin 5x = 0
sin q + sin 3q + sin 5q + sin 7q = 0
Now both csc x and cot x are not defined for x = 0 and x = 2
∴ x= 0
19.
cos q + cos 3q + cos 5 q + cos 7q = 0
and x = 2 are not admissible.
20.
 2p 
Hence solution set =  + 2n p  , nUZ
 3 
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