The Student Room Group

Trig Question

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
The first solution set is redundant because all such solutions are contained in the second. The last is incorrect. pi/6 does not work, for instance. For the other solutions you should get cos(x/2) + cos(5x/2) = 0 so 2 * cosx * cos(3x/2) = 0.


Ok so 2npi/5 is the valid one for the solution only?
And for the second solution 2cos(x)cos(3x/2) = 0
=> cos(x)cos(3x/2) = 0 so cosx = 0 and cos3x/2 = 0?
Reply 21
Original post by Fatts13
Ok so 2npi/5 is the valid one for the solution only?
And for the second solution 2cos(x)cos(3x/2) = 0
=> cos(x)cos(3x/2) = 0 so cosx = 0 and cos3x/2 = 0?


Well 4npi/5 is valid but unnecessary
Indeed. Well, either can be 0 (just clarifying that it's or, not and)
Reply 22
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Well 4npi/5 is valid but unnecessary
Indeed. Well, either can be 0 (just clarifying that it's or, not and)


OMD thank you so very very much, you've been a massive help :smile: Sorry for being a hassle.

I'll rep you once TSR let me XD
Reply 23
Original post by Fatts13
OMD thank you so very very much, you've been a massive help :smile: Sorry for being a hassle.

I'll rep you once TSR let me XD


No worries. Not really a hassle as I am just sitting around today anyway (uni starts tomorrow).
Reply 24
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
No worries. Not really a hassle as I am just sitting around today anyway (uni starts tomorrow).


If thats the case, here's another question :biggrin: Screen Shot 2016-10-02 at 20.04.30.png
Reply 25
Original post by Fatts13
If thats the case, here's another question :biggrin: Screen Shot 2016-10-02 at 20.04.30.png


first one I got a weird general solution but threw in n = 17 and it worked so I'll assume I did it right. Express everything in terms of sin and cos, remove the denominators, and it should all become clear..

Second one I have an expression in tan(theta), it's only slightly simpler. Play around with it, express everything in terms of sintheta and costheta again.
edit: lol it's way simpler just needed to cancel stuff
Reply 26
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
first one I got a weird general solution but threw in n = 17 and it worked so I'll assume I did it right. Express everything in terms of sin and cos, remove the denominators, and it should all become clear..

Second one I have an expression in tan(theta), it's only slightly simpler. Play around with it, express everything in terms of sintheta and costheta again.
edit: lol it's way simpler just needed to cancel stuff


So tan3theta would become sin3theta/cos3theta and cot(7theta +pi/7) would become cos(7theta+pi/7)/sin(7theta + pi/7)?
And then from there I did:
cos(7theta +pi/7) = cos(7theta)cos(pi/7) - sin(7theta)sin(pi/7) and then opened up sin as well and I'm at loss XD
Reply 27
Original post by Fatts13
So tan3theta would become sin3theta/cos3theta and cot(7theta +pi/7) would become cos(7theta+pi/7)/sin(7theta + pi/7)?
And then from there I did:
cos(7theta +pi/7) = cos(7theta)cos(pi/7) - sin(7theta)sin(pi/7) and then opened up sin as well and I'm at loss XD


No need to expand like that. Just cross-multiply, get everything on one side and you should recognise the resulting structure.
Reply 28
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
No need to expand like that. Just cross-multiply, get everything on one side and you should recognise the resulting structure.


so sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7)/cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)?
then does it become tan(3theta)tan(7theta +pi/7)?
Reply 29
Original post by Fatts13
so sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7)/cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)?
then does it become tan(3theta)tan(7theta +pi/7)?


I dunno what is going on there..

You have sin3θcos3θ=cos(7θ+π7)sin(7θ+π7) \displaystyle \frac{ \sin 3 \theta}{ \cos 3 \theta} = \frac{ \cos (7 \theta + \frac{\pi}{7})}{ \sin (7 \theta + \frac{\pi}{7})} just cross multiply to get everything off the denominator
Reply 30
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
I dunno what is going on there..

You have sin3θcos3θ=cos(7θ+π7)sin(7θ+π7) \displaystyle \frac{ \sin 3 \theta}{ \cos 3 \theta} = \frac{ \cos (7 \theta + \frac{\pi}{7})}{ \sin (7 \theta + \frac{\pi}{7})} just cross multiply to get everything off the denominator


OMD sorry I meant equals not divide.
So sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)
I have no clue what to do next :s-smilie:
Reply 31
Original post by Fatts13
OMD sorry I meant equals not divide.
So sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)
I have no clue what to do next :s-smilie:


Cos(A + B) = ?
Reply 32
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Cos(A + B) = ?


Oh so now we expand? cos(7theta +pi/7) = cos(7theta)cos(pi/7) - sin(7theta)sin(pi/7)
Reply 33
Original post by Fatts13
Oh so now we expand? cos(7theta +pi/7) = cos(7theta)cos(pi/7) - sin(7theta)sin(pi/7)


Noo; don't complicate, simplify. Try getting everything on one side of the equation (i.e. something = 0) and it might click..
Reply 34
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Noo; don't complicate, simplify. Try getting everything on one side of the equation (i.e. something = 0) and it might click..


My head is gone, it's not clicking anything, been deprived of maths for too long.
I got sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7)/cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7) =1
I honestly don't know how to use cos(A+B) without expanding.
Reply 35
Original post by Fatts13
My head is gone, it's not clicking anything, been deprived of maths for too long.
I got sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7)/cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7) =1
I honestly don't know how to use cos(A+B) without expanding.


You had sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)
so cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7) - sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = 0
Isn't this structure familiar?
Reply 36
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
You had sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7)
so cos(3theta)cos(7theta+pi/7) - sin(3theta)sin(7theta+pi/7) = 0
Isn't this structure familiar?


Nope I did not know we could do that. I presumed because everything was multiplication so you could only divide and multiply.
So from there we then have:
cos(3theta + 7theta + pi/7) = 0
cos(10theta + pi/7) = 0
cos^-1(0) = pi/2
10theta + pi/7 = pi/2 + 2npi
so then the general solutions are: +/- pi/28 + pin/5? Correct?
Reply 37
Original post by Fatts13
Nope I did not know we could do that. I presumed because everything was multiplication so you could only divide and multiply.
So from there we then have:
cos(3theta + 7theta + pi/7) = 0
cos(10theta + pi/7) = 0
cos^-1(0) = pi/2
10theta + pi/7 = pi/2 + 2npi
so then the general solutions are: +/- pi/28 + pin/5? Correct?


Correct up to cos(10theta + pi/7) = 0 but your solution is incomplete. Note that cosx = 0 whenever x = n*pi + pi/2 (look at the graph).

Quick Reply

Latest