INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Mathematics: analysis and approaches

MAA

EXERCISES [MAA 3.8]

MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS
Compiled by Christos Nikolaidis

O. Practice questions

TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES

1. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

3
It is given that cos    where 90    180 . Use the following triangle,
5

θ
3

and the fact that  is in the 2nd quadrant to find sin  , tan  , cot  , sec  , co sec  . [6]

[Notice: Don’t bother for the sign (–) on the diagram. Find the absolute values first,
using the triangle, and then decide if it is + or – according to the quadrant]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

2. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

It is given that tan   3 where  is an angle in the first quadrant.
(a) Use an appropriate Pythagorean trigonometric identity to find sec  . [3]
(b) Hence find cos  , sin  . [3]
(c) Sketch a right-angled triangle to represent tan   3 and hence find
sin  , cos  , cot  , sec  , co sec  . [6]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

3. [Maximum mark: 14] [without GDC]

6 2
(a) Show that sin 15 o  by using the trigonometric identity for sin( A  B ) . [3]
4
(b) Find a similar expression for cos15o . [3]

3 1
(c) Show that tan15o =
3 1
(i) using the results above (ii) using the identity for tan( A  B ) [5]

(d) Express tan15o in the form a  b , where a and b are integers. [3]

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4. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

In the diagram below, AD is perpendicular to BC, CD = 4, BD = 2 and AD = 3
CȂD = α and BȂD = β.

(a) Find the exact value of cos(   )

(i) by using the cosine rule in triangle ABC.
(ii) by using the compound angle identity for cos(   ) [8]

(b) Find the exact value of sin(   ) . [4]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

5. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

Find the general solutions (in radians) of the equations

sec x  2

cosec x  2

cot x  3

6. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

Solve the equation sec 2 x  2 , 0  x  2π

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7. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

π π
It is given that x satisfies the equation sin( x  )  2 cos( x  ) .
3 6
(a) Find the values of tan x and cot x . [5]
(b) Find the possible values of cos x . [3]
π π
(c) Solve the equation sin( x  )  2 cos( x  ) for  π  x  π . [4]
3 6

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8. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

(a) Solve the equation sin 5 x  sin 3 x , 0  x  π . [6]
(b) Explain why sin(  x )   sin x [1]
(c) Hence, solve the equation sin 5 x  sin 3 x  0 , 0  x  π . [5]

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9. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

(a) Solve the equation cos 5 x  cos 3 x , 0  x  π . [6]
(b) Explain why cos(π  x )   cos x [1]
(c) Hence, solve the equation cos 5 x  cos 3 x  0 , 0  x  π . [5]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

10. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

(a) Solve the equation tan 5 x  tan 3 x , 0  x  π . [4]
(b) Explain why tan(  x )   tan x [1]

π
(c) Hence, solve the equation tan 5 x  tan 3 x  0 , 0  x  . [4]
2

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

11. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

Solve the equations
(a) cos 5 x  sin 3 x , 0 x π. [6]
(b) cos 5 x  sin 3 x  0 , 0  x  π . [6]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

A. Exam style questions (SHORT)

12. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

In the diagram below, AD is perpendicular to BC, CD = 4, BD = 2 and AD = 3
CȂD = α and BȂD = β.

(a) Find the exact value of sin(2  ) [4]

(b) Find the exact value of cos(   ) . [5]

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13. [Maximum mark: 7] [with GDC]

Let ABC be the right-angled triangle, where Ĉ = 90. The line (AD) bisects BȂC, BD = 3
and DC = 2, as shown in the diagram. Let DȂC

(a) Find the exact value of tan DȂC. [6]

(b) Hence, or otherwise, find DȂC. [1]

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14. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

(a) Use the formula for cos( A  B ) to show that

4 cos( x  30) cos( x  60)  3  2 sin 2 x [5]

(b) Hence find the exact value of cos(75) cos(105) [3]

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

15. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

(a) Show that

 π  π 3  2 sin 2 x
cos  x   cos  x    [5]
 6  3 4
(b) Hence solve the equation

 π  π
4 cos  x   cos  x    3  1 , 0  x  2π [5]
 6  3

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 [MAA 3.8] MORE TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITES AND EQUATIONS

16*. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

Let Aˆ , Bˆ , Cˆ be the angles of a triangle. Use the fact Aˆ  Bˆ  Cˆ  180 o to show that

tan Aˆ  tan Bˆ  tan Cˆ  tan Aˆ tan Bˆ tan Cˆ .

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17. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

Solve the equation 3cosec2 x  4 , 0  x  2π

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18. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

Solve the equation cos 3 x  cos(0.5 x ) , for 0  x  π .

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19. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

x
Solve the equation sin x  sin , for 0  x  4π .
3

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20. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

Solve the equation cos(2 x  15)  cos x , for 0  x  360 .

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21. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

 π
Solve the equation tan  3πx    tan  πx  , for 0  x  2 .
 4

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22. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

The angle  satisfies the equation 2 tan 2   5sec   10  0 , where  is in the second
quadrant. Find the exact value of sec  .

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23. [Maximum mark: 6] [with GDC]

The angle  satisfies the equation tan   cot   3 .
(a) Find all the possible values of tan 
(b) Hence, or otherwise, find all the possible values of  in [0°, 90°].

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24. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

π
Solve the equation tan x  cot x  2 , 0  x 
2

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25. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

π
Solve the equation tan x  cot x  4 , 0  x 
2

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B. Exam style questions (LONG)

26. [Maximum mark: 22] [without GDC]

(a) Using the formula for cos( A  B ) and suitable double angle identities, prove the
following triple angle identity
cos 3  4 cos 3   3 cos  , [4]
(b) Find a similar expression for sin 3 in terms of sin  only. [5]

3 tan   tan 3 
(c) Show that tan 3  [5]
1  3 tan 2 
(d) Find an expression for cos 5 in terms of sin  and cos  . [5]
cos 5
(e) Hence show that  16 sin 4   12sin 2   1 [3]
cos 

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27. [Maximum mark: 15] [without GDC]

(a) Show that cos 3  4 cos 3   3cos  [4]

(b) Solve the equation 4 cos3   3cos   1  0 , for 0    2π [5]

(c) Consider the equation cos 3  11 cos 2 

(i) Find the three values of cos  that satisfy the equation
π π
(ii) Hence, solve the equation for    . [6]
2 2

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