C3 Trigonometry Problem

Question:

a) Find R and α for:

π
sin x + 3 cos x = Rsin ( x + α ) for 0 ≤ α ≤
2

b) Find the values of x which satisfy:

⎛ π⎞
sin x + 3 cos x + 2 sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ = 0
⎝ 3⎠
Given 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π .

Answer:

a) Given sin x + 3 cos x = Rsin ( x + α ) , we expand the RHS.

sin x + 3 cos x = Rsin x cos α − Rsin α cos x

By comparing coefficients:

R cos α = 1
Rsin α = 3

⎛ 3⎞
(1)2 + ( )
2
⇒R= 3 ⇒ α = tan −1 ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 1 ⎠
π
∴R = 2 ∴α =
3
Therefore:
⎛ π⎞
sin x + 3 cos x = 2 sin ⎜ x + ⎟
⎝ 3⎠

⎛ π⎞
b) Given that sin x + 3 cos x + 2 sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ = 0 , we substitute our answer for part a).
⎝ 3⎠
⎛ π⎞
Since sin x + 3 cos x = 2 sin ⎜ x + ⎟ , this implies
⎝ 3⎠
⎛ π⎞ ⎛ π⎞
2 sin ⎜ x + ⎟ + 2 sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ = 0
⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠

Please turn over…

© BlueStar Maths Workshops (2012)

 ⎛ π⎞ ⎛ π⎞
Factoring 2 sin ⎜ x + ⎟ + 2 sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ = 0 , we get:
⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠
⎡ ⎛ π⎞ ⎛ π⎞⎤
2 ⎢sin ⎜ x + ⎟ + sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ ⎥ = 0
⎣ ⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠ ⎦

In the Formula Booklet, you will see the equation:

⎛ A + B⎞ ⎛ A − B⎞
sin A + sin B = 2 sin ⎜ ⎟ cos ⎜
⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎟⎠

π π
If we let A = x + and B = 3x −
3 3
π π
A + B x + 3 + 3x − 3 4x
Therefore: = = = 2x
2 2 2
π π 2π
A − B x + 3 − 3x + 3 −2x + 3 π
And = = = −x +
2 2 2 3

⎡ ⎛ π⎞ ⎛ π⎞⎤ ⎡ ⎛ π⎞⎤
2 ⎢sin ⎜ x + ⎟ + sin ⎜ 3x − ⎟ ⎥ = 2 ⎢ 2 sin ( 2x ) cos ⎜ −x + ⎟ ⎥ = 0
⎣ ⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠ ⎦ ⎣ ⎝ 3⎠ ⎦

⎛ π⎞
4 sin ( 2x ) cos ⎜ −x + ⎟ = 0 (Divide both sides by 4)
⎝ 3⎠
⎛ π⎞
sin ( 2x ) cos ⎜ −x + ⎟ = 0
⎝ 3⎠

Therefore:

sin ( 2x ) = 0 ⇒ 2x = 0, π , 2π , 3π , 4π
π 3π
∴ x = 0, , π , , 2π
2 2

or

⎛ π⎞ π π π 3π
cos ⎜ −x + ⎟ = 0 ⇒ −x + = , − , −
⎝ 3⎠ 3 2 2 2
π 5π 11π π
∴x = − , , (Ignore − )
6 6 6 6

π 5π 3π 11π
Thus: x = 0, , , π, , , 2π
2 6 2 6

© BlueStar Maths Workshops (2012)