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Edexcel IGCSE Further Pure Your notes

Maths
Trigonometric Equations
Contents
Linear Trigonometric Equations
Quadratic Trigonometric Equations

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Linear Trigonometric Equations

Your notes
Linear Trigonometric Equations
How do I solve trigonometric equations?
Trigonometric equations can have an infinite number of solutions

For an equation in sin x or cos x

you can add or subtract 360° (or 2π radians) to each solution to find more solutions

For an equation in tan x

you can add or subtract 180° (or π radians) to each solution to find more solutions
When solving a trigonometric equation
You will be given a interval of values within which the answers must lie
You need to find all the answers within that range
Using the inverse function on your calculator will only give you the primary value
This may or may not be in the required interval
The other values can be found with the help of:
your knowledge of trigonometric exact values
the unit circle
the graphs of trigonometric functions

How are basic trigonometric equations solved?

This means equations in the form sin x = k , cos x = k or tan x = k

It can be helpful to sketch the graph of the trigonometric function first

Use the given interval of values as the domain for your graph

The intersections of the graph of the function and the line y = k will show you

The location of the solutions

The number of solutions

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You will be able to use the symmetry properties of the graph to find other values within the given
interval
The methods for finding all solutions are: Your notes

For the equation sin x = k

The primary value is x = sin −1k
1

By symmetry, a secondary value is x = 180 °− sin −1k

2

Either x or x might not actually be in the given interval!

1 2

Then all values within the given interval can be found using

x 1 ± 360n °

x 2 ± 360n °

where n = 1, 2, 3, . . . as appropriate

For the equation cos x = k

The primary value is x = cos−1k
1

By symmetry, a secondary value is x = − cos−1k

2

Either x or x might not actually be in the given interval!

1 2

Then all values within the given interval can be found using

x 1 ± 360n °

x 2 ± 360n °

where n = 1, 2, 3, . . . as appropriate

For the equation tan x = k

The primary value is x = tan−1k
1

x 1 might not actually be in the given interval!

Then all values within the given interval can be found using

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x ± 180n °
where n = 1, 2, 3, . . . as appropriate Your notes
How do I handle more complicated equations?
You may need to use algebra to get an equation into one of the basic forms

For example, sinx tanx − 3sinx + tanx = 3

Subtract 3 from both sides

sinx tanx − 3sinx + tanx − 3 = 0

Factorise

(sinx + 1) ( tanx − 3) = 0
This gives you two basic equations to solve

sinx = − 1
tanx = 3
Trigonometric identities and/or addition formulae may also be needed

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Remember that your calculator will only give you the primary value
You need to be able to find all other solutions within the given interval
Sketching the trig graphs (or any other useful diagrams) can be a huge help!

Worked Example
Solve the equation 2cos x = − 1 , finding all solutions in the interval −2π ≤ x ≤2 π.

First isolate cosx

1
cosx = −
2

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Use calculator or knowledge of exact trig values to find x

1
Note that the interval is given in radians, so we must work in radians! Your notes
⎛ 1 ⎞ 2π
x 1 = cos−1 ⎜⎜− ⎟⎟ =
⎝ 2⎠ 3
Use symmetry of the cos function to find x
2

2π
x2 = − x1 = −
3
Now add or subtract (multiples of) 2π radians to find other solutions in the interval

2π 4π
x 1 − 2π = − 2π = −
3 3
2π 4π
x 2 + 2π = − + 2π =
3 3

Any other additions or subtractions of 2π would take us outside the interval

x = − 43π , − 23π , 23π , 43π

Linear Trigonometric Equations (ax + b)

How can I solve equations with transformations of trig
functions?
This means equations of the form sin(ax+b) = k, cos(ax+b) = k or tan(ax+b) = k
Trigonometric equations in these forms can be solved in more than one way
The easiest method is to consider the transformation of the angle as a substitution
Let u = ax + b
Transform the given interval for the solutions in the same way as the angle
For example if the given interval is 0° ≤ x ≤ 360° the new interval will be
(a (0°) + b) ≤ u ≤ (a (360°) + b)

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Solve the equation to find the primary value for u

Find all the other solutions in the transformed range for u Your notes
Undo the substitution

u −b
i.e. x =
a
Convert all of the u solutions back into corresponding solutions for x
Another method would be to sketch the transformation of the function
If you use this method then you will not need to use a substitution for the range of values

Examiner Tips and Tricks

If you use substitution and transform the interval
remember to convert answers back at the end!

Worked Example
Solve the equation 2cos(2x − 30°) = − 1 , finding all solutions in the interval
−360 ° ≤ x ≤ 360 °.

We'll use the substitution u = 2x − 30

Let u = 2x − 30

Rewrite the equation in terms of u and rearrange

2cosu = − 1
1
cosu = −
2

Now we need to transform the interval as well

Substitute the interval limits into u = 2x − 30

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2(−360) − 30 = − 750
2(360) − 30 = 690 Your notes

−750 ° ≤ u ≤ 690 °
Use calculator or knowledge of exact trig values to find the primary value

⎛ 1⎞
u 1 = cos−1 ⎜⎜− ⎟⎟ = 120
⎝ 2⎠

Use symmetry of cos function to find the secondary value

u 2 = − u 1 = − 120

Sketch the graph of cosu over the transformed interval

1
This shows that there are 8 places where cosu = −
2
Find these by adding or subtracting (multiples of) 360 ° to u and u
1 2

u = − 600, − 480, − 240, − 120, 120, 240, 480, 600

Invert the substitution

u = 2x − 30
2x = u + 30
u + 30
x=
2

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u + 30
Substitute the u values into x = to find the corresponding x values
2 Your notes

x = − 285 °, − 225 °, − 105 °, − 45 °, 75 °, 135 °, 255 °, 315 °

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Quadratic Trigonometric Equations

Your notes
Quadratic Trigonometric Equations
How do I solve quadratic trigonometric equations?
A quadratic trigonometric equation is one that includes either sin2 x , cos2 x or tan2 x

Often the identity sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1 can be used to help solve the equation

This can change an equation with both sine and cosine

into an equation with only sine or cosine
Solve the quadratic equation using any of the usual methods
You may find it easier to rewrite it as an equation with a single letter

e.g. writing 2cos2 x + 5cos x − 3 = 0 as 2 c 2 + 5 c − 3 = 0

A quadratic can give up to two solutions

You must check whether solutions to the quadratic are valid solutions

2cos2 x + 5cos x − 3 = (2cosx − 1) ( cosx + 3) = 0

1
So cosx = and cosx = − 3 are the solutions of the quadratic
2
Remember that solutions for sinx = k and cosx = k only exist for −1 ≤ k ≤ 1

So cosx = − 3 may be a correct solution for the quadratic

But it does not give a valid solution for the trigonometric equation!

Solutions for tanx = k exist for all values of k

After you solve the quadratic equation

Find all solutions for the resulting trigonometric equation(s) within the given interval

1
For the example above this would mean solving cosx =
2
There will often be more than two trigonometric solutions for one quadratic equation

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Sketching a graph can help check how many solutions there should be in the given interval

Your notes

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Sketch the trig graphs on your exam paper
Then you can refer back to them as many times as you need to
Make sure you have found all of the solutions in the given interval
And that you don't give solutions outside the interval
For example if you get a negative solution but the interval is entirely positive

Worked Example
Solve the equation 11sin x – 7 = 5cos2 x , finding all solutions in the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π . Give
your answers correct to 3 significant figures.

sin2x + cos2x = 1 can be rearranged as cos2x = 1 − sin2x

Substitute this to get the equation entirely in terms of sinx

11sinx − 7 = 5(1 − sin2x )

Expand the brackets and rearrange to get a quadratic equal to zero

11sinx − 7 = 5 − 5sin2x
5sin2x + 11sinx − 12 = 0
This can be solved by factorising (it might help you to think of it as 5s 2 + 11s − 12 = 0 )
You could also solve it by using the quadratic formula
Or your calculator may be able to solve quadratics

(5sinx − 4) (sinx + 3) = 0

4
sinx = or sinx = − 3
5

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sinx = − 3 has no solutions for x because sine cannot be less than −1

4 Your notes
So we only need to find solutions for sinx =
5
Start by finding the primary solution
The interval is given in radians, so we have to make sure the calculator is set up for radians!

⎛4 ⎞
x 1 = sin−1 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0 . 927295. . .
⎝5 ⎠
Use symmetry properties of sine to find the secondary solution

⎛4 ⎞
x 2 = π − x 1 = π − sin−1 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 2 . 214297. . .
⎝5 ⎠

Both those solutions are the interval 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π , and there are no other solutions in the interval
(You could sketch the sine function to confirm that)

x = 0 . 927 , 2 . 21 3 s . f .
( )

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