MHF4U Advanced Functions Solving Trigonometric Equations and Identities

6.4 Solving Trigonometric Equations

What is a Trigonometric Equation?
Recall that there are 6 different trig function - sin 𝑥, cos 𝑥, tan 𝑥 , sec 𝑥 , csc 𝑥 and cot 𝑥. A
trigonometric equation is an equation consisting of solely _______________
tig _____________________
function as its terms. The
goal of solving trigonometric equations is to find the unknown angle(s) that make the equation true. For
example, we might be interested in knowing what angles we can substitute to both the left and right side
that cause to be equal. L l
tan 𝜃 sin2 𝜃 = cos 𝜃

To understand how to solve these types of equations, we need to revisit the unit circle and the
graph of our trig functions. Just knowing the graphs of cosine, sine and tangent suffices. If you encounter,
secant, cosecant, cotangent just convert it back to sine, cosine, and tangent respectively.

Observations of One Cycle of a Graph

The graph of the trig function plots the ratio between two sides of a triangle as we rotate around
a circle. When we graph one cycle of a trig function, we can divide it into 4 equally-spaced sections. Each
section corresponds to one of the four quadrants along the Cartesian plane and a single

Giant
_________________________ around a circle corresponds to one ____________________
Section
function tells us the value of that trig ratio in that quadrant.
of the wave. The 𝑦-value of the trig
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Within one cycle, there are some important observations to be made

• ____________ ___________________ angles within once cycle gives the same ratio (excluding 1 or 0). These
two angles are in ______________ quadrants. Within one cycle, there are always 2 sections (quadrants)
Trail
where the ratios have the same ___________________ and _____________.
value Sign
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The sine function has a value of 0 at ________________ different angles, ______,
0 T
_________, and ____________.
2T It
has a maximum value of 1 at ______________킸 and a minimum value of −1 at _______________
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The cosine function has a value of 0 at ___________________ different angles, ___________________,
포 and 3포 maximum
value of___________
2 at __________________,
0 제 and a minimum value of _____________
I - at _________________.
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MHF4U Advanced Functions Solving Trigonometric Equations and Identities

Example. Suppose we want to solve for cos 𝑥 = − 12

The ratio is negative, so we know by the cast rule, cosine returns a negative ratio in quadrants 2
and 3. Additionally, the ratio between the adjacent and hypotenuse is 12 if the related acute angle
touching is 𝜋3. Keep in mind that we are solving for the principal angle (the angle that positions the
hypotenuse in one of the four quadrants) so we can use the related acute angle to find the principal angle

Unit Circle Representation Graphical Representation Equation

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Once we have solved for the two angles in the two different quadrants in the unit circle OR
sections in the graph, we have to take into consideration that adding/subtract 2𝜋 infinitely many times to
those answers is also valid.
1. In the unit circle representation, adding (or subtracting) 2𝜋 moves the hypotenuse (terminal arm)
back on the same location
2. In the graphical representation, adding (or subtracting) 2𝜋 moves the next (previous) cycle of the
wave 𝑦 as 惻泛
𝑦

14𝜋 1
3
8𝜋
3 t져
2𝜋 2𝜋 8𝜋 14𝜋
3 3 3 3
𝑥 𝑥
+2𝜋 +2𝜋
1
−
2

−1
One cycle One cycle

Along the unit circle, 2𝜋

3
positions the Along the cosine wave, cos 2𝜋
3
= − 12. A wave
hypotenuse in the second quadrant where there is a is periodic (meaning that the 𝑦-values repeat at
−1: 2 ratio between the adjacent and hypotenuse. regular intervals). By adding 2𝜋 to the 𝑥-value, it
Hence why cos 2𝜋 3
= − 12. If we rotate by one full jumps to the next cycle of the wave with the exact
revolution by adding 2𝜋, we would have rotated a same value. We can do this indefinitely.
total of 8𝜋
3
and the hypotenuse will still be where it
was before. We can rotate by another one revolution
for another 14𝜋
3 and we can do this indefinitely and the
cosine of all those angles will still be the same at − 12.

This gives us a final answer of:

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 MHF4U Advanced Functions Solving Trigonometric Equations and Identities

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Procedure for Solving Trigonometric Equations
1. Isolate for a single trig ratio to one side of the equation
2. Determine the Reference angle/Related Acute Angle by inversing the only positive value of
the ratio. cost
3. Using the CAST rule and the ______________________ of the ratio to determine which two quadrant
Sign
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the principal angle lies in

cost

4. Use the RAA to calculate the principal angle in the two quadrants identified in the step 2.
The principal angle is calculated differently depending on which quadrant it is in.
O -

principle angle 가 and angle

𝜃=𝛼
𝜋−𝛼

𝜋+𝛼 2𝜋 − 𝛼

5. Check if an interval is given. Using the interval, you can find specific solutions. If an interval is
not given, you must state all solutions of the equation. These are called the general solutions. The
general solutions can be found by adding any multiple of the period to the two solutions found
within one cycle/rotation.

Example 1. For the given equation 2 sin(𝑥) = −1

a) Determine the general solutions
b) Determine the specific solutions over the interval −2𝜋 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3𝜋

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Example 2. Solve 2 sin2 𝜃 − 5 sin 𝜃 − 3 = 0 over the interval [0, 4𝜋]

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Example 3. Solve for cot2 𝑥 = −2 cot 𝑥 − 1 over the interval −𝜋 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 5𝜋
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If we are solving for multiples of an angle such as (2𝑥, 3𝑥, 4𝑥, … . ) and we cannot directly simplify using
trig identities, we must adjust the domain and then find the solutions within the new domain.

Example 5. 2 cos2 3𝑥 + cos 3𝑥 = 1 over the interval 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2𝜋

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Example 6. Solve cos2 𝑥 − sin2 𝑥 = 2 over the interval 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3𝜋
2

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