version: 1.

CHAPTER

14 Solutions of Trignometric
Equation
1. Quadratic Equations [Link] 1. Quadratic Equations [Link]
14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link] 14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link]

Example 2: Solve the equation: 1 + cos x = 0

14.1 Introduction
Solution: 1 + cos x = 0
The Equations, containing at least one trigonometric function, are called Trigonometric
⇒ cos x = -1
Equations, e.g., each of the following is a trigonometric equation:
Since cos x is -ve, there is only one solution x = p in [0, 2p]
2 3 Since 2p is the period of cos x
sin x
= Sec x tan x
,= and sin 2 x - sec
= x +1 n∈Z
5 4 ∴ General value of x is p + 2np,
Hence solution set = {p + 2np}, n∈Z
Trigonometric equations have an infinite number of solutions due to the periodicity of the

trigonometric functions. For example

Example 3: Solve the equation: 4 cos2x - 3 = 0

If sin q = q then q = 0, ± , ± 2 ,...

Solution: 4 cos2 x - 3 = 0
which can be written
= as q n , where n ∈ Z . 3 3
⇒ cos 2 x =⇒ cos x =
±
4 2
In solving trigonometric equations, first find the solution over the interval whose
3
length is equal to its period and then find the general solution as explained in the following i. If cos x =
2
examples:
Since cos x is +ve in I and IV Quadrants with the reference angle
1
Example 1: Solve the equation sin x =
2 x=
6
1 11 where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
Solution: sin x = =∴x and x=
=2 -
2 6 6 6
As 2p is the period of cos x.
sin x is positive in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle x = .
a 11
6 ∴ General value of x are + 2n and + 2n , n∈Z
5 6 6
∴ x
= and =x= - , where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
6 6 6
3
ii. if cos x = -
2
5
∴ General values of x are + 2n and + 2n , n ∈ Z
6 6 Since cos x is -ve in II and III Quadrants with reference angle x =
6
  5  5 7
Hence solution set = + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ,n ∈ Z ∴ x= - = and x = x + = where x ∈ [ 0, 2 ]
6  6  6 6 6 6
As 2p is the period of cos x.
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1. Quadratic Equations [Link] 1. Quadratic Equations [Link]
14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link] 14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link]

5 7 3
∴ General values of x are + 2n and + 2n , n ∈ Z Example 2: Find the solution set of: sin x cos x = .
6 6 4
3
  11  5  7  Solution: sin x cos x = .
Hence solution set = + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ∪  + 2n  ∪  + 2n  4
6   6  6  6  1 3
⇒ ( 2sin x cos x ) =
2 4
14.2 Solution of General Trigonometric Equations 3
⇒ sin 2 x =
2
When a trigonometric equation contains more than one trigonometric functions,
trigonometric identities and algebraic formulae are used to transform such trigonometric a sin 2x is +ve in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle 2 x =
3
equation to an equivalent equation that contains only one trigonometric function.
The method is illustrated in the following solved examples: 2
∴ 2x = and 2 x = - = are two solutions in [ 0,2 ]
3 3 3
Example 1: Solve: sin x + cos x = 0.
As 2p is the period of sin 2x .

Solution: sin x + cos x = 0 2

∴ General values of 2x are + 2n and + 2n , , nU Z
3 3
sin x cos x
⇒ + 0
= ( Dividing by cos x ≠ 0 )
cos x cos x
⇒ tan x + 1 = 0 ⇒ tan x = -1 ⇒ General values of x are +n and +n , nU Z
6 3
a tan x is -ve in II and IV Quadrants with the reference angle
   
Hence solution set = =  + n  ∪  + n  , nU Z
6  3 
x=
4
Note: In solving the equations of the form sin kx = c, we first find the solution pf sin u = c
3
∴ x= - = , where x ∈ [ 0, ] (where kx = w) and then required solution is obtained by dividing each term of this
4 4
solution set by k.
As p is the period of tan x,

3 Example 3: Solve the equation: sin 2x = cos 2x

∴ General value of x is +n , nU Z
4
3  Solution: sin2x = cos2x
∴ Solution set =  + n  ,n U Z.
4  ⇒ 2sinx cos x = cosx
⇒ 2sinx cos x - cosx = 0
⇒ cosx(2sinx - 1) = 0

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14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link] 14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link]

∴ cosx = 0 or 2sinx - 1 = 0 As 2p is the period of cos x

i. If cosx = 0 p 3p
∴ General values of x are + 2np and + 2np , nUZ
2 2
3
⇒ x= and x= where x U [0,2 p]
2 2 ii. If cos x = 1
As 2p is the period of cos x . ⇒ x = 0 and x = 2p , where x U [0, 2p]
As 2p is the period of cos x
p 3p
∴ General values of x are + 2np and + 2np, nUZ, ∴ General values of x are 0 + 2np and 2p + 2np, nUZ.
2 2
ii. If 2 sin x - 1 = 0
p   3p 
1 ∴ Solution Set = + 2n p  ∪  + 2n p  ∪ {2np } ∪ {2p + 2np } , n ∈ z
⇒ sin x = 2   2 
2
p
Since sin x is +ve in I and II Quadrants with the reference angle x = {2(n + 1)p } ⊂ {2np } , n ∈ z
6
p p 5p
∴ x= and x = p - = where x U [0, 2p] p   3p 
6 6 6 Hence the solution set =  + 2np  ∪  + 2n p  ∪ {2n p } , n ∈ z
2   2 
As 2p is the period of sin x.
Sometimes it is necessary to square both sides of a trigonometric equation. In such
p p a case, extaneous roots can occur which are to be discarded. So each value of x must be
∴ General values of x are and + 2np and 5 + 2np, nUZ,
6 6
checked by substituting it in the given equation.
For example, x = 2 is an equation having a root 2. On squaring we get x2 - 4 which gives
p   3p  p   p 
Hence solution set =  + 2np  ∪  + 2n p  ∪  + 2n p  ∪ 5 + 2n p  , two roots 2 and -2. But the root -2 does not satisfy the equation x = 2. Therefore, -2 is an
2   2  6   6 
n∈ z extaneous root.

Example 4: Solve the equation: sin2 x + cos x = 1. Example 5: Solve the equation: csc=
x 3 + cot x.

Solution: sin2 x + cos x = 1 Solution: csc=

x 3 + cot x .......(i)
⇒ 1 - cos2 x + cos x = 1 1 cos x
⇒ - cos x (cos x - 1) = 0 ⇒ = 3+
sin x sin x
⇒ cos x = 0 or cos x - 1 = 0
⇒
= 1 3 sin x + cos x

i. If cos x = 0
⇒ 1 - cos x =3 sin x
p 3p
⇒x= and x = , where x U [0, 2p]
2 2 ⇒ (1 - cos x) 2 =
( 3 sin x) 2

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1. Quadratic Equations [Link] 1. Quadratic Equations [Link]
14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link] 14. Solutions of Trigonometric Equations [Link]

⇒ 1 - 2cos x + cos 2 x =
3sin 2 x
Exercise 14

⇒ 1 - 2cos x + cos 2 x = 3(1 - cos 2 x)
1. Find the solutions of the following equations which lie in [0, 2p]
⇒ 4cos 2 x - 2cos x - 2 =0
3 1
i) sin x = - ii) cosecq = 2 iii) sec x = -2 iv) cot q =
2 3

⇒ 2cos 2 x - cos x - 1 =0
2. Solve the following trigonometric equations:

⇒ (2cos x + 1)(cos x - 1) =
0
1 4 4 1
1 i) tan 2 q = ii) cos ec 2q = iii) sec 2 q = iv) cot 2 q =
⇒ cos x =
- or cos x =
1 3 3 3 3
2
Find the values of q satisfying the following equations:
1
i. If cos x = - 3. 3tan 2 q + 2 3 tan q + 1 =0
2
4. tan q - secq - 1 =
2
0
p 5. 2sin q + cos q - 1 =
2
0
Since cos x is -v e in II and III Quadrants with the reference angle x =
3 6. 2sin q - sin q =
2
0
p 2p p 4p 7. 3cos 2 q - 2 3 sin q cosq - 3sin 2 q =
0 [Hint: Divide by sin2q]
⇒ x =p - = and x =p + = , where x U [0, 2p]
3 3 3 3 Find the solution sets of the following equations:
8. 4 sin2q - 8cosq + 1 = 0
4p
Now x = does not satisfy the given equation (i). 9. 3 tan x - sec x - 1 =0
3
10. cos 2x = sin 3x [Hint: sin3x = 3sinx - 4sin3x]
4p 2p 11. sec 3q= secq
∴ x = is not admissible and so x = is the only solution. 12. tan 2q + cotq = 0
3 3
13. sin 2x + sinx = 0
Since 2p is the period of cos x 14. sin 4x - sin 2x = cos 3x
2p 15. sin x + cos 3x = cos 5x
∴ General value of x is + 2n p , nUZ
3 16. sin 3 x + sin 2x + sin x = 0
ii. If cos x = 1
17. sin 7x - sin x = sin 3 x
⇒ x= 0 and x = 2p where x U [0, 2p]
18. sin x + sin 3x + sin 5x = 0
Now both csc x and cot x are not defined for x = 0 and x = 2
19. sin q + sin 3q + sin 5q + sin 7q = 0
∴ x= 0 and x = 2 are not admissible.
20. cos q + cos 3q + cos 5 q + cos 7q = 0
 2p 
Hence solution set =  + 2n p  , nUZ
 3 
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