Trigonometric Equations

• An equation that contains trigonometric functions is called

a trigonometric equation.
• Ex.
• 1. 𝟐 sin 𝜽 = −𝟏
• 2. 𝟏 + tan2 𝑥 = sec 2 𝑥
• 3. cos 𝒙 = 𝟑
 Solving Trigonometric Equations
• Ex. Find all the solutions to the equation 𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 − 𝟏 = 𝟎.
• Sol.
𝟏
• Rewriting the equation, we have sin 𝒙 = .
𝟐
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• The values of 𝒙 in the interval [𝟎, 𝟐𝝅) are and .
𝟔 𝟔
• Since the period of 𝒚 = sin 𝒙 is 𝟐𝝅, all other solutions are of the form
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• 𝒙 = + 𝒌(𝟐𝝅) and 𝒙 = + 𝒌 𝟐𝝅 ,
𝟔 𝟔
• where 𝒌 is any integer.
• Ex. Solve each equation. Restrict the solutions to the interval [𝟎, 𝟐𝝅).
• 1. 𝟑 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝟑 + 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙
• Sol ⇒ 𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝟑
𝟑
• 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 =
𝟐
𝝅 𝟐𝝅
• 𝒙= or
𝟑 𝟑
𝝅 𝟐𝝅
• Ans. ,
𝟑 𝟑
• 2. 𝟐 − 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝟐 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐 𝒙 • sin 𝒙 = 𝟎 or sin 𝒙 =
𝟏
𝟐
• Sol. Replace 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐 𝒙 by 𝟏 − 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝒙. 𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• 𝒙 = 𝟎, 𝝅 or 𝒙 = ,
• ⇒ 𝟐 − 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝟐( 𝟏 − 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝒙) 𝟔 𝟔
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• 𝟐 − sin 𝒙 − 𝟐 + 𝟐 sin2 𝑥 = 0 • Ans. 𝟎, 𝝅, ,
𝟔 𝟔
• − sin 𝒙 + 2sin2 𝑥 = 0
• sin 𝒙(−𝟏 + 𝟐sin 𝒙) = 𝟎
• 3. 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝟐 𝒙 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 − 𝟐 = 𝟎
• Sol. Factor the LHS.
• (𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 − 𝟏)(𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 + 𝟐) = 𝟎
• 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 = 𝟏 or 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 = −𝟐
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• 𝒙 = , or 𝒙 = 𝟓. 𝟏𝟕𝟐𝟖, 𝟐. 𝟎𝟑𝟗𝟒
𝟒 𝟒
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
• Ans. { , , 𝟓. 𝟏𝟕𝟐𝟖, 𝟐. 𝟎𝟑𝟗𝟒}
𝟒 𝟒
• Ex. Solve for all values of 𝒙 where 𝟎° ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟑𝟔𝟎°:
𝟒 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝟐 𝒙 − 𝟑 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙 = 𝟎
• Ex. Solve for all values of 𝒙 where 𝟎° ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟑𝟔𝟎°:
𝟑
• 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝒙 =
𝟐
 It’s Your Turn:
• Solve each equation. Restrict the solutions to the interval
[𝟎, 𝟐𝝅).
• 1. 𝟑 tan2 𝑥 − 7 sec 𝑥 = −5
• 𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 − 𝐜𝐬𝐜 𝒙 = 𝟏
𝟏 𝟏
• 3. 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝜽 =
𝟐 𝟐
• 4. tan2 𝑥 = 1
• References:
1. Blitzer, R., (2004). Algebra and Trigonometry (2nd Edition). Pearson Education (Asia) PTE Ltd.
2. Ellis R. and Gulick, D., Calculus with Analytic Geometry, 6th edition,
• Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1986.
3. Fuller, G. and Tarwater, D., Analytic Geometry, 7th edition,
• Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1992.
4. Leithold, L., The Calculus with Analytic Geometry, 6th edition,
• Harper and Row Publishers, N.Y., 1990.
• 5. Lial, M. L. and Miller, C. D., Algebra and Trigonometry (2nd Edition). Scott Foresman and Company. 1980.
• 6. Peterson, Thurman S., Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Harper & Row, Publishers,
• Incorporated, 1964.
• 7. Rees, P., Sparks, F. and Sparks Rees, C., (2003). College Algebra (10th Edition), McGraw-Hill
• Publishing Company.
• 8. Salas, S., Hille, E., and Etgen, G., Calculus – One and Several Variables, John Wiley & Sons,
• Inc., 2007.
• 9. Sobel, M. and Lerner, N., (1979). Algebra and Trigonometry - a Pre-Calculus Approach (2nd Edition),
• Prentice-Hall, Inc.
10. Stewart, J., Redlin, L. and Watson, S., (2007). Algebra and Trigonometry, (2nd Edition).
Brooks/Cole (Thomson Learning)
11. Libre Texts Mathematics: Home - Mathematics LibreTexts
12. Paul’s Online Math Notes: http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/