LESSON 23: Solving Trigonometric Equations

O.M. “In the three-part lesson, “Evaluating Angles of Trigonometric Functions” , we built up
a formidable theoretical foundation, some of which were not immediately put to use. In this
lesson, we payoff those unused theoretical gems and apply some basic trigonometric
identities to the activity of solving trigonometric equations.”

23.1 BASIC TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

A trigonometric equation is one that consists of at least one trigonometric function. It may
have infinitely many solutions and therefore, often in practice, the range of the angle is
restricted , typically from 0° to 360° (0 to 2𝜋; in radians)

Example 1: Find all the angles from 0° to 360° which satisfy the equation
(a) sin x = 0.866 (b) sin x = – 0.866
Solution:
(a) sin x = 0.866 //By data //
⇒ values for angle x are in the 1st and 2nd quadrant. (See quadrant wheel)
x = sin-1 (0.866) //Inverse trig. Functions are used to determine angles.//
= 60° //Principal value.//
The value in the 2nd quadrant = 180° - 60° //2nd quadrant: 180° – 𝜃 //
= 120°
Hence, x = 60° or 120° for the interval 0° to 360°
120° in 2nd quadrant
60° is called the principal solution,
60° in 1st quadrant
while 120° (or any other angle) is
called the secondary solution.
 (b) sin x = – 0.866 // By data //
⇒ values for angle x are in the 3rd and 4th quadrant. (See quadrant wheel)
x = sin-1 ( – 0.866) //Inverse trig. Functions are used to determine angles.//
= – 60° //Principal value.//
The value of x in the 4th quadrant = 360° - 60°
= 300°
The value of x in the 3rd quadrant = 180° + 60° = 240°
Hence, x = 240° or 300° for the interval 0° to 360°

240° in 3rd quadrant 300° in 3rd quadrant

Example 2: Find all the angles between 0 and 2𝜋 which satisfy the equation
√3
(a) cos x = (b) tan x = – 8.14
2
Solution:
√3
(a) cos x = //⇒ value is in the 1st and 4th quadrant. //
2

√3 𝜋
Thus, x = cos-1 ( ) = //Principal value //
2 6
𝜋 11𝜋
value in 4th quadrant = 2𝜋 – =
6 6
𝝅 𝟏𝟏𝝅
Hence, solutions are x = or in the interval 0 and 2𝜋
𝟔 𝟔

(b) tan x = – 8.14 //⇒ value is in the 2nd and 4th quadrant. //
Thus, x = tan-1 (– 8.14)
≈ – 83.0° (correct to 1 d.p.) //Principal value.//
//We work in degrees and then convert answers to radians.//
Value in 2nd quadrant = 180° – 83° = 97°
Value in 4th quadrant = 360° – 83° = 277°
 97° ≈ 1.7c ; 277° ≈ 4.8c
Hence, solutions are x = 1.7c or 4.8c in the interval 0 and 2 𝜋

23.2 TACTICS FOR COMPLEX TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

O.M. “Some trigonometric equations require a bit of initial ‘surgery’ before attempting to
solve. The ‘surgery’ often takes the form of simplification methods, like transposition or
factorization. Other times, the equation lends itself to the application of trigonometric identities
as the following examples demonstrate.”

Example 3: Find all the angles between 0° and 360° which satisfy the trigonometric equation
9 cos x + 5 = 0
Solution:
9 cos x + 5 = 0 //By data.//
5
cos x = − //Transposition.//
9

⇒ x is in the 2nd or 3rd quadrant.

5
cos-1 ( − ) ≈ 123.7° //Principal value.//
9

Value in the third quadrant = 360° - 123.7° = 236.3°

Hence, solutions for given interval are x = 123.7° or 236.3°

Example 4: Solve each of the following equations for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋

(a) 2 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 = cos 𝜃 (b) sin 𝜃 = 2 tan 𝜃
Solution:
(a) 2 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 = cos 𝜃
2 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 – cos 𝜃 = 0 //Transposition.//
cos 𝜃 (2 sin 𝜃 – 1) = 0 //Factorization.//
Either, cos 𝜃 = 0 or 2 sin 𝜃 – 1 = 0
3𝜋 𝜋
If cos 𝜃 = 0 , then 𝜃 = cos-1 (0) = and
2 2

If 2 sin 𝜃 – 1 = 0 ,then
1
sin 𝜃 =
2
1 𝜋
⇒ 𝜃 = sin-1 ( ) = //Principal value.//
2 6
𝜋 5𝜋
Value in the 2nd quadrant = 𝜋 - =
6 6
𝝅 𝝅 𝟓𝝅 𝟑𝝅
Hence, the solutions for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋 are 𝜃 = , , ,
𝟔 𝟐 𝟔 𝟐
 (b) sin 𝜃 = 2 tan 𝜃 //By data.//
sin 𝜃 sin 𝜃
sin 𝜃 = 2 ( ) //Using tan 𝜃 ≡ //
cos 𝜃 cos 𝜃

sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 = 2 sin 𝜃 //Multiply both sides by cos 𝜃 //

sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 – 2 sin 𝜃 = 0 //Transposition.//
sin 𝜃 (cos 𝜃 – 2) = 0 //Factorization.//
⇒ sin 𝜃 = 0 //cos 𝜃 = 2 is not possible.//
Hence, 𝜃 = 0 , 𝝅, 2𝝅

Example 5: Solve the equation 2 sin2 𝜃 = 1 + cos 𝜃 for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋

Solution:
2 sin2 𝜃 = 1 + cos 𝜃 //By data.//
⇒ 2 (1 – cos2 𝜃) = 1 + cos 𝜃 // Using sin2 𝜃 + cos2 𝜃 ≡ 1 //
⇒ 2 – 2 cos2 𝜃 = 1 + cos 𝜃
⇒ 2 cos2 𝜃 + cos 𝜃 – 1 = 0
//By transposition. Equation now has a quadratic form//
Let x = cos 𝜃
2x2 + x – 1 = 0
(2x – 1)(x + 1) = 0 // Factorization.//
⇒ 2x – 1 = 0 or x + 1 = 0
⇒ 2 cos 𝜃 – 1 = 0 or cos 𝜃 + 1 = 0
1
⇒ cos 𝜃 = // 𝜃 is in 1st and 4th quadrant.//
2
1 𝜋
⇒ 𝜃 = cos-1 ( ) = //Principal value.//
2 3
𝜋 5𝜋
Value in the 4th quadrant = 2𝜋 - =
3 3

Also, cos 𝜃 = - 1
𝜃 = cos-1( -1 ) = 𝜋
𝝅 𝟓𝝅
Hence, solutions are 𝜃 = , 𝝅,
𝟑 𝟑
23.3 FURTHER TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS
O.M. “These trigonometric equations are complex enough to warrant their own category!
Equations like this involve trippy elements like the multiple of an angle , fraction of an angle
or horizontal translation. Lets look at a few of these now.”

Example 6: Find all angles between 0 and 2𝜋 inclusive which satisfy the equation
2 cos 2𝜃 – √3 = 0
Solution: Angles are in the
“All” and “Cos”
2 cos 2𝜃 – √3 = 0 //By data.// quadrant

√3
cos 2𝜃 = //Transposition.// S A
2

Since 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋 //By data// T C

⇒ 0 ≤ 2𝜃 ≤ 4𝜋
𝜋 𝜋
Thus, 2𝜃 = , 2𝜋 – //These result from the 1st revolution: 0 to 2𝜋.//
6 6
𝜋 𝜋
, 2𝜋 + , 4𝜋 – //These result from the 2nd revolution: 2𝜋 to 4𝜋 //
6 6
𝜋 1 11𝜋 1 13𝜋 1 23𝜋 1
Therefore, 𝜃 = × , × , × , × //Divide all angles by 2//
6 2 6 2 6 2 6 2
𝝅 𝟏𝟏𝝅 𝟏𝟑𝝅 𝟐𝟑𝝅
= , , ,
𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐

3𝜃
Example 7: Solve the equation 2 sin = √2 for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋 Angles are in the
4
“All” and “Sin”
Solution: quadrant

3𝜃
2 sin = √2 //By data.//
4
S A
3𝜃 √2
⇒ sin = //Transposition.//
4 2 T C
Since 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋 //By data//
3𝜃 3𝜋
⇒0≤ ≤
4 2
3𝜃 𝜋 𝜋
Thus, = ,𝜋– // Within the 1st revolution: 0 to 2𝜋.//
4 4 4
𝜋 4 3𝜋 4 3
Therefore, 𝜃 = × , × //Divide thru by .//
4 3 4 3 4
𝝅
= ,𝝅
𝟑
 𝜋
Example 8: Solve the equation tan ( 𝜃 – ) = √3 for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋
2
Solution:
//Horizontal translation manifests as a horizontal shift (left or right) graphically. As a proof
𝜋
of concept exercise, use graphing software to compare the graphs of tan 𝜃 and tan ( 𝜃 – ) .//
4
𝜋
tan ( 𝜃 – ) = √3 , for 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋 //By data.//
2
𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋
𝜃– = ,𝜋+ for − ≤ 𝜃 – ≤
2 3 3 2 2 2
A
S
𝜋 4𝜋
= , T C
3 3
𝜋 𝜋 4𝜋 𝜋
Thus, 𝜃 = + , +
3 2 3 2
𝟓𝝅 𝟏𝟏𝝅 Angles are in the
= , “All” and “Tan”
𝟔 𝟔
quadrant

TAKE-AWAYS
 A trigonometric equation is one that consists of at least one trigonometric function.
 The quadrant wheel is a useful tool when solving basic trigonometric equations.
 When solving complex trigonometric equations, the following tactics are invaluable
in smoothening the process:
- Factorization
- Transposition
- Applying trigonometric identities.
 Trigonometric equations which contain multiple of an angle or fraction of an angle or
horizontal translation are among the most complicated equations to solve. They often
yield a large number of solutions for the range 0° to 360°