TEACHING NOTES

TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATION
Syllabus IIT JEE : General solutions of trigonometric equations.
1 ST LECTURE
1. DEFINTION :
An equation involving one or more trigonometric ratios of unknown angle,
1
e.g. sin x = ; cos2x – 4 sin x = 1
2
There are millions and billions of solutions which satisfy say tan x = – 1 but our main
object is to write down those infinite solution in one line. Since all trigonometric function
are periodic and therefore solution of all trigonometrical equation can be generalised
with the help of periodicity of trigonometrical function.
Two types of solution

Principal solution General solution

0    2 (6 forms)
2. GENERAL SOLUTION OF TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATION :
  
(i) If sin  = sin    = n  + (1)n  where    ,  , n  I.
 2 2
(ii) If cos  = cos    = 2 n  ±  where   [0 , ] , n  I.
  
(iii) If tan  = tan    = n  +  where    ,  , n  I.
 2 2
(iv) 2 2
If sin  = sin    = n  ± .
(v) cos2 = cos2   = n  ± .
(vi) tan2 = tan2   = n  ± .
Note :  is called the principal angle.
EXAMPLES :
Ex.1 What is the most general values of which satisfy both the equation.
1 1
sin = – and tan =
2 3
7 5
[Ans.  = 2n +, n  I or 2n – ]
6 6
4 11
Ex.2 Principal solution of equation : sin2x + 2 tan2x + tan x – sin x + = 0.
3 12
11
[Ans. x = ]
6
3. TYPES OF TRIGONOMETRIC EQUTION
(i) Type-1
Solution of trigonometric equation by factorisation or equation which are expressed in
quadratic form or which can be expressed in quadratic form.

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EXAMPLES :
 5
Ex.1 (2 sin x – cos x)(1 + cos x) = sin2x. [Ans. x = , ,  ]
6 6
1
Ex.2 2 cos x · cos 2x = cos x [Ans. cos x = 0 or cos 2x = – ]
2
Ex.3 cot x – cos x = 1 – cot x · cos x [Ans. cot x = 1 ]
1
Ex.4 3 cos2x – 10 cos x + 3 = 0 [Ans. x = 2n ± , where  = cos–1  
3
4
Ex.5 3 sin2x – sin x · cos x – 4 cos2x = 0 [Ans. tan x = or tan x = – 1 ]
3
Ex.6 2 sin22x + 6 sin2x = 5


Ex.7 (1 – tan )(1 + sin 2) = 1 + tan. [Ans.  = n or  = n – , tan  = – 1]
4
Ex.8 Find the general solution of the trigonometric equation
cos 4x + 6 = 7 cos 2x and also find the sum of all the solution in [0, 3]
[Ans. x = n, S = 4950]

Ex.9 5 tan4x – sec4x = 29. [Ans. n ± ]
3

Asking: tan2 + sec2 = 1 [Ans.  = n or  = n ± ]
3
Home Work : Exercise-11 from Q.1 to Q.21, 27, 28 (S.L. Loney)

(ii) Type-2
Solving trigonometric equations by introducing an Auxilliary argument.
Equation of the form of a cos + b sin = c.
Note : (1) First check for real solution
(2) Avoid squaring.
EXAMPLES :

Ex.1 sin x + cos x = 2 . [Ans. x = 2n ± ]
4

Ex.2 3 cos x + sin x = 2 [Ans. x = 2n + , n  I ]
6
Ex.3 sin x + cos x = 1.5 [Ans. No solution]

Ex.4 (sec x – 1) = 2  1 tan x.
  [Ans. x = 2n + or x = 2m]
4
1
Ex.5 4 cos x + 3 sin x = 5. [Ans. 2n + 2,  = tan–1 ]
3
3 5
Ex.6 1 + sin3x + cos3x = sin 2x. [Ans. x = 2n + , nI ]
2 4
Ex.7 For what value of 'k', sin x + cos(k + x) + cos(k – x) = 2 has real solution.

2
Ex.8 Solve : 3 3 sin3x + cos3x + 3 3 sin x cos x = 1. [Ans. n = 2n + ]
3

Home Work : Exercise-12 from Q.1 to Q.25 (S.L. Loney)

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(iii) Type-3 : Solving equations by Transforming a sum of Trigonometric functions into a
product.
(iv) Type-4 : Solving equations by transforming a product of trigonometric functions into
a sum.
EXAMPLES :
Ex.1 General solution of the trigonometric equation, sin x + sin 5x = sin 2x + sin 4x is
n 2 n
(A*) (B) (C) 2n (D) n
3 3
Ex.2 Number of solutions of the trigonometric equation in [0, ]
sin 3 = 4 sin  · sin 2 · sin 4
(A) 4 (B) 6 (C*) 8 (D) 10
Ex.3 Number of solutions of the equation, sin x + 2 sin 2x = 3 + sin 3x in [0, ]
(A) no solution (B) infinite solution
(C) exactly one solution (D) two solutions
Ex.4 Find the number of solution of the equation in [0, 2]
tan(5 cos ) = cot(5 sin ) [Ans. 28]
Ex.5 cos2x + cos22x + cos23x + cos24x = 2.
  
[Ans. x = (2m + 1)  (2n + 1)  (2p + 1) , m, n, p  I]
10 2 4
Ex.6 cosec x – cosec 2x = cosec 4x.

[Ans. x = (2n – 1) , n  4, 11, 18, n  7m – 3, m  I ]
7
sin 6 x
Asking : = 8 cos x · cos 2x · cos 4x
sin x
(v) Type-5 : Solving equations by change of variable or by substitution method.
n 
Ex.1 sin42x + cos42x = sin2x · cos2x. + (–1)n   ]
[Ans. x =
4 8
Home Work : Exercise-21 from Q.1 to Q.42 (S.L. Loney)
(vi) Type-6 : Solving equations with the use of the boundness of the function sin x / cos x
EXAMPLES :
Ex.1 sin3x – cos3x = 1 + sin x · cos x [Ans. 1]

Ex.2 cosx + cos 2x + cos 3x = 3. [Ans. x = 2n, n  I ]

 x  x
Ex.3 sin x  cos  2 sin x  + 1  sin  2 cos x  cos x = 0
 4   4 
[Ans. – 6, 2, 10, 2(4n – 3), n  I ]
Ex.4 Solve for x and y, 1 – 2x – x2 = tan2(x + y) + cot2(x + y).

[Ans. x = – 1, y = n ± – 1]
4
1
Ex.5 Number of ordered pair satisfying the inequality, 2  2.
2 sin x y2  2y  2
[Ans. infinite solution]
(vii) Type-7 : Solution of trigonometric equation of the form of f (x) = ( x ) .

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EXAMPLES :

Ex.1 1  cos x = sin x. [Ans. x = 2n or x = (4n + 1) ]
2
 
Ex.2 2 sin  3x   = 1  8 sin 2 x cos2 2 x
 4
4. TRIGONOMETRIC INEQUALITIES AND SYSTEM OF INEQUALITY

(1) sin x > 0 0<x<

1  5
(2) sin x > x
2 6 6
1 7 
or sin x  – x
2 6 6
 x x 1
(3) log2  sin  < – 1  0 < sin <
 2 2 2
 5
[Ans. 0 < x < or < x < ]
6 6
1 3 5
(4) cos x < – ; x ,
2 4 4
3 5
[Ans. 2n + < x < 2n + ]
4 4

(5) tan x > 0 ; 0<x<
2

[Ans. n < x < n + ]
2
(6) tan2x –  3  1 tanx +
 3 < 0.
 
[Ans. n + < x < n + ]
4 3

(7) Solve the inequality, sin x  cos 2x.

  5
[Ans. x = (4n – 1) ; 2n +  x  2n + ]
2 6 6
 7 
(8) 5  2 sin x  6 sin x – 1. [Ans. x   2n  , 2n   ]
 6 6
5. SOLVING SYSTEM OF TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS.
3
(1) cos x · cosy = cos(x – y) = 1
4
1 1
and sin x · sin y = and cos (x + y) =
4 2
Home work : Prilepko Pg. 136, 137 and Pg. 127 onwards (not to be discussed in class)

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