Solve a sin x + b cos x = c

Yue Kwok Choy

Question
Solve : 12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4
P
Method 1
12 13
Construct a triangle OPQ with tan   .
5 12
   67.380o . 
Also, OP  5 2  12 2  13 O 5 Q
Now, 12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4
(13 sin ) sin x + (13 cos ) cos x = 4
13 (cos x cos  + sin x sin ) = 4
13 cos (x – ) = 4
4
cos x    
13
x  67.380  360 n  72.080o
x  360 n  72.080o  67.380
 x  360  n  139.460  or x  360  n  4.700  ,where n is an integer . …. (1)

Method 2
5 P
Construct a triangle OPQ with tan   .
12
   22.620o . 13
Also, OP  5  12  13
2 2 5
Now, 12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4 
(13 cos ) sin x + (13 sin ) cos x = 4 O 12 Q
13 (sin x cos  + cos x sin ) = 4
13 sin ( x + ) = 4
4
sin  x    
13
x  22.620   180  n    1 17.920 o
n

x  180  n    1 17.920 o  22.620 

n
, where n is an integer . …. (2)

To show that the solution set (2) is the same as the solution set (1), we need to divide the solution into odd
and even cases :
(a) n = 2m , x  180   2m   17.920 o  22.620   360  m  4.700 
(b) n = 2m + 1, x  180   2m  1  17.920 o  22.620   360 m  139.460 , where m is an integer.
Method 3 (t – method)

1
 x
Let t  tan .
2

x x
sin 2 tan
x x x
2 cos 2  2  2t
sin x  2 sin cos  2
2 2 x 2 x 1  t2
cos sec 2
2 2

 x x
 sin
2
 1  tan 2
2  1 t
2
x x x
2  cos 2 
cos x  cos 2  sin 2  1 
2 2  2 x 2 x 1 t2
 cos  sec 2
 2 2
Now, the equation : 12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4
 2t   1  t 
2
12   5
 4
2 
1  t  1  t 
2

12 2 t   51  t 2   41  t 2 

9 t 2  24t  1  0
4  17
t
3
x x
 tan  2.7077 or tan  0.041035
2 2
x x
  180 n  69.730 or  180  n  2.3500
2 2
 x  360  n  139.460  or x  360  n  4.700  , where n is an integer . …. (3)

Method 4 (unsatisfactory)

12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4
12 sin x  5 1  sin 2 x  4
 5 1  sin 2 x  4  12 sin x
 
25 1  sin 2 x  16  96 sin x  144 sin 2 x
169 sin 2 x  96 sin x  9  0
48  15 17
sin x   0.64998 or 0.081932
169
x  180 n    1 40.540
n
or
n

x  180 n    1  4.700  …. (4)

Method 4 is unsatisfactory since solution set (4) gives a larger solution set than (1), (2) or (3).
Readers please explain. What solutions should be rejected ? How to reject ?

Explanation

Squaring equation creates roots! That is why Method 4 is not recommended.

2
Finding the redundant roots is tedious:

In (4),
x  180 n    1 40.540 .
n
(a) When
(i) n = 2m, x  360 m  40.540
(ii) n = 2m + 1, x  360 m  139.460
(b) When 
x  180  n    1  4.700
n

(i) n = 2m, x  360 m  4.700 


(ii) n = 2m + 1, x  360 m  184.700

Therefore (4) is equivalent to :

 x  360  m  40.540  ....( 4.1)

x  360 m  139.460
 
....( 4.2)

 x  360 m  4.700
 
....( 4.3)
x  360  m  184.700  ....( 4.4)


(4.2) and (4.3) are good solutions.

(4.1) and (4.4) should be rejected.

For (4.1), 12 sin x + 5 cos x  12 sin  360 m  40.540   5 cos 360 m  40.540 
 12 sin 40.540   5 cos 40.540
 12 0.64998  5 0.75995
 11.59951
4
 x  360 m  40.540 does not satisfy the equation 12 sin x + 5 cos x = 4, and should be rejected.

Similarly, for (4.4), x  360 m  184.700 should be rejected.