Trigonometric

Equations I
 1
We want to solve the equation: sin
2
Where on the unit circle is the sine value - 1/2? 7 or 11
6 6
But if we want ALL
solutions we could go
another loop around
the unit circle and
come up with more
answers. A loop
around the circle is 2
so if we add 2 to our
answers we'll get more
answers. We can add
another 2 and get
more answers.
 1
All solutions to the equation sin would be:
2
7 11
2k or 2k where k is an integer
6 6
What this means is as k goes from 0, 1, 2, etc. you would
have the answer with another loop around the unit circle.

Find all solutions to 2cos 3 0 What angles

on the unit
First get the cos by itself. 3
cos circle have this
2 for a cos
5 7
or value?
6 6
so ALL solutions would be these and however many
loops around the circle you want.
5 7
2k or 2k
6 6
 1 This would mean only
Solve tan on the interval [0, 2 )
2
one loop around the
3 circle.

Get tan alone 1 1 3

tan
2
tan
3 3 3
What angles on the unit circle have this value for tangent?
Since it can be either plus or
minus, there are 4 values. We
don't add any to go around
again because it says on the
interval from 0 to 2.

5 7 11
, , ,
6 6 6 6
 We still ask
Solve sin 2
2
on the interval [0, 2 ) where on the
2 unit circle does
3 the sine have
Notice that we
have 2 NOT
2 or this value.
4 4
Solve for 3 Since you divided the
by dividing or angle in half, is smaller
by 2 8 8 so you need to take
another loop around the
9 9 circle because you only
2 2 want answers between 0
4 4 8 and 2 but by the time
you divide by 2 you'll still
3 11 11
2 2 be in that interval.
4 4 8
The solution will be all 4 values because they are all still in [0, 2)
(If you try another loop around you'll find yourself larger than 2).
If the values that these trig functions equal are NOT exact
values on the unit circle you will need to use your calculator.

Solve cos 0.6 on the interval 0 2

You can use the inverse cosine button on your calculator
(make sure mode is radians) but remember that the range is
only the top half of the unit circle and we want the whole unit
circle so you'll need to figure out the other value from the
one given.
1
from calculator: cos 0.6 0.93 this value is somewhere in
Quad I
What other quadrant would have the
same cosine value (same x value on
the unit circle)? Quadrant IV
This angle is 2 minus angle from calculator.
2 0.93 5.35
Acknowledgement

I wish to thank Shawna Haider from Salt Lake Community College, Utah
USA for her hard work in creating this PowerPoint.

www.slcc.edu

Shawna has kindly given permission for this resource to be downloaded

from www.mathxtc.com and for it to be modified to suit the Western
Australian Mathematics Curriculum.

Stephen Corcoran
Head of Mathematics
St Stephens School Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au