Trigonometry

BMS

1) Prove the following:

(i) 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝜽 + 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐 𝜽 = 𝟏

This can be proved from a basic right angle triangle. Draw a right angle triangle with hypotenuse
of length r and angle 𝜃. This result is then obtained by applying Pythagoras.

(ii) 1 + 𝐜𝐨𝐭 𝟐 𝜽 = 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐜 𝟐 𝜽

Divide each term in the first identity by sin2 𝜃 to obtain this result.

(iii) 1 + 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝟐 𝜽 = 𝐬𝐞𝐜 𝟐 𝜽

Divide each term in the first identity by cos 2 𝜃 to obtain this result.

2) It is given that 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙. Describe 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙 in terms of 𝒇(𝒙).

𝜋
𝑔(𝑥 ) = cos 𝑥 = sin ( − 𝑥)
2

𝝅 𝟏
3) Find all values of 𝒙 which satisfy 𝐜𝐨𝐬−𝟏 (𝐬𝐢𝐧( 𝟐 − 𝒙)) = 𝟐

Using Q2 this is the same as

1
cos −1 (cos 𝑥) =
2

Which is the same as

1
cos𝑥 = cos
2

Hence
1
𝑥 = 2𝑛𝜋 ±
2
4) Find all solutions to 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 𝒙 + 𝟓𝐬𝐢𝐧𝒙𝐜𝐨𝐬𝒙 + 𝟔𝐜𝐨𝐬𝟐 𝒙 = 𝟎 in the range 𝟎 ≤ 𝒙 ≤ 𝟒𝝅

Dividing through by cos 2 𝑥 we find

tan2 𝑥 + 5tan𝑥 + 6 = 0

Which is an easy quadratic in tan𝑥 to solve.

𝟏
5) How many solutions does 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙) = 𝟐 have? What are they?

This is the same as

1
cos𝑥 = sin−1
2

Hence

𝜋 𝜋
cos𝑥 = + 2𝑛𝜋 or cos𝑥 = + 2𝑛𝜋
6 3

Hence we have infinitely many answers and they are

𝜋 𝜋
𝑥 = cos −1 ( + 2𝑛𝜋) or 𝑥 = cos −1 ( + 2𝑛𝜋)
6 3

Where n is an integer.
6) Sketch the graph of all points in the 𝒙𝒚 plane which satisfy:

(i) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒚

If sin 𝑥 = sin 𝑦, then 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2𝑛𝜋 or 𝑦 = 𝜋 − 𝑥 + 2𝑛𝜋 = −𝑥 + (2𝑛 + 1)𝜋

Sketching these sets of lines produces:

(ii) 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒙 = 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒚

If cos 𝑥 = cos 𝑦, then 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2𝑛𝜋 or 𝑦 = −𝑥 + 2𝑛𝜋

Sketching these sets of lines produces:

(iii) 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒙 = 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝒚
𝑛𝜋
Then 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 𝑛𝜋, but we have that 𝑥 ≠ .
2

(iv) 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒙 = 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝒚

𝜋
If sin 𝑥 = cos 𝑦, then sin 𝑥 = sin( 2 − 𝑦)

𝜋 𝜋
Hence 𝑥 = − 𝑦 + 2𝑛𝜋 or 𝑥 = 𝜋 − ( 2 − 𝑦) + 2𝑛𝜋
2

Sketching these sets of lines produces:

7) Let 𝒇(𝒂) = 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝒂𝒙 where 𝒂 ∈ ℕ.

(i) Describe 𝒇(𝒂)

2𝜋
𝑓(𝑎) is a sine curve with period (i.e. it’s a sine curve, trapped between the lines 𝑦 = 1 and
𝑎
2𝜋
𝑦 = −1 that completes oscillations between 0 and 2𝜋
𝑎

(ii) How many solutions are there in the range 𝟎 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟐𝝅 such that 𝒇(𝒂) = 𝒇(𝒃) where
𝒃∈ℕ

This is a tough question.

We are being asked to solve the equation

sin 𝑎𝑥 = sin 𝑏𝑥

Clearly when 𝑎 = 𝑏 we have an infinite number of solutions.

Without loss of generality 𝑎 > 𝑏. Subtracting we have

sin 𝑎𝑥 − sin 𝑏𝑥 = 0

Or equivalently, using the sum to product to formulae

𝑎−𝑏 𝑎+𝑏
2 sin ( ) 𝑥 cos ( )𝑥 = 0
2 2

Hence

𝑎−𝑏 𝑎+𝑏
sin ( ) 𝑥 = 0 or cos ( )𝑥 = 0
2 2

This gives us

2𝑛𝜋 𝑛 𝜋 + 2𝑛𝜋
𝑥= = 2𝜋 ( ) or 𝑥 =
𝑎−𝑏 𝑎−𝑏 𝑎+𝑏

Now

2𝑛𝜋 𝑛
𝑥= = 2𝜋 ( )
𝑎−𝑏 𝑎−𝑏

Gives us 𝑎 − 𝑏 + 1solutions in the range (since 𝑛 can be 0, 1, 2, …, 𝑎 − 𝑏)

We now consider

𝜋 + 2𝑛𝜋 2𝑛 + 1
𝑥= = 𝜋( )
𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+𝑏
This gives us 𝑎 + 𝑏 solutions in the range (since 𝑛 can be 0, 1, 2, …, 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 1)

Hence in total we have 2𝑎 + 1 solutions.