Complex Sin value greater than 1

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the mathematical implications of having a sine value greater than 1, specifically Sin(theta) = 3.08 and Cos(theta) = -i*2.91. Participants clarify that while sine and cosine functions are typically bounded between -1 and 1 for real arguments, they can take on complex values when the argument is complex. The relationship between sine and cosine is explored, emphasizing that both can yield complex results, and the equation sin^2(theta) + cos^2(theta) = 1 still holds in the complex domain. The conversation also touches on how to derive one function from the other, noting that both positive and negative values for cosine are possible given the sine value. Overall, the thread highlights the complexities of trigonometric functions when extended to complex numbers.
tim9000
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Hi,
My Complex Euler stuff is a bit rusty but I'm working on a problem (that I won't mention here) but I'm after an explanation as to how:

Sin (theta) = 3.08 and so
Cos (theta) = -i*2.91


What's throwing me is that I know Sin can only have a max at 1 trigonometrically (obviously) so I'm assuming 3 is something to do with like 3 rotations, but I could be wrong. I was also thinking like the 0.08 would be 4.6 degrees for theta. And I tried rearranging e^i*theata = CiS as
e^i*theta - sin (theta) = -i*cos(theta) but that doesn't help.

Any explanations?

Thanks a lot!
 
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I'm not sure what you're asking. There is no theta such that sin(theta) = 3.08 (to my knowledge) and it is completely wrong to say that -i*2.91 is "less than" 1.
 
Cosx=(Exp(ix)+Exp(-ix))/2

Cos(ix)=(Exp(-x)+Exp(x))/2

The cosine function will never give you a complex number.
 
HomogenousCow said:
Cosx=(Exp(ix)+Exp(-ix))/2

Cos(ix)=(Exp(-x)+Exp(x))/2

The cosine function will never give you a complex number.

He is talking about complex arguments. I think we can all agree that cos(5i + 2) is complex.
 
Right yes, forgot about the general a+bi case
 
We can say that:
For real a:
sin(a) is in [-1,1]

For imaginary x:
sin(bi) is imaginary, and so there is no well defined notion of a less than or greater than comparison to real numbers.

For complex a + bi (that are not one of the above cases)
sin(a + bi) is complex, and so there is no well defined notion of a less than or greater than comparison to real numbers.

In any case, sin(x) is never greater than 1.
 
^not quite
sin(a+b i)
is zero when a,b=0
real when b or cos(a)=0
cos(a)=0
imaginary when sin(a)=0and complex otherwise

|e^(i theta)|=1
only holds for theta real
if theta is complex it does not hold
sin(theta)^2+cos(theta)^2=1
still holds but complex squares can be negative

if
Sin (theta) = 3.08 and so
Cos (theta) = -i*2.91
theta=(2n+1)pi/2+i*arccosh(3.08)
where n is any (rational) integer
this ignores round off 3.08^2-2.91^2=1.0183
when it should be 1
 
lurflurf said:
^not quite
sin(a+b i)
is zero when a,b=0
real when b or cos(a)=0
cos(a)=0
imaginary when sin(a)=0


and complex otherwise

|e^(i theta)|=1
only holds for theta real
if theta is complex it does not hold
sin(theta)^2+cos(theta)^2=1
still holds but complex squares can be negative

if
Sin (theta) = 3.08 and so
Cos (theta) = -i*2.91
theta=(2n+1)pi/2+i*arccosh(3.08)
where n is any (rational) integer
this ignores round off 3.08^2-2.91^2=1.0183
when it should be 1

Oh, OK. Sorry for the misinformation then.
 
Thanks for the great replies everyone, I'm going to have another read through them again but the general sense I'm getting is that the theata can't be broken up so that the amplitude of sin is less than 1. This leads me to think that I'm going to have to treat Sin(theta) and Cos(theta) as variables completely.

lurflurf, I should have specified that I'm not trying to find theta necessarily, more to deduce how we got to the Cos value. (But out of pure interest, what relation did you use to show theta=(2n+1)pi/2+i*arccosh(3.08)?)
I tried the trig relation you reminded me of and rearranged for Cos but it didn't make much sense:
sin^2 (theta) + cos^2 (theta) = 1 then
cos(theta) = SQRT(1 - sin^2(theta)) = i*2.913 Which is correct but positive though.
Thanks,
P.S
Surprisingly I'm just not seeing how:
Cosx=(Exp(ix)+Exp(-ix))/2
And
Cos(ix)=(Exp(-x)+Exp(x))/2

Can get me from Sin (theta) = 3.08 to Cos (theta) = -i*2.91...

Is there any significance of it being greater than 1, like the rotations or something like I thought, or just some mathematical freakery?
 
  • #10
sin^2 (theta) + cos^2 (theta) = 1
holds when theta is complex
the thing about sin(theta)<=1 follows from that and the assumption that sin(theta) and cos(theta) are real
Sin (theta) = 3.08 tells us
cos^2 (theta)=1-sin^2 (theta)=-8.8464
you said Cos (theta) = -i*2.91
Cos (theta) = i*2.91
is also possible when sin(theta)=3.08
if Cos (theta) = i*2.91
theta=-(2n+1)pi/2+i*arccosh(3.08)
where n is any (rational) integer
knowing sin(theta) or cos(theta) allows us to find the other up to sign
anyway
sin(a+bi)=sin(a)cosh(b)+i*cos(a)sinh(b)
because
sin(a+bi)=sin(a)cos(i*b)+cos(a)sin(i*b)
and
cos(i*b)=cosh(b)
sin(i*b)=i*sinh(b)
 
  • #11
Oh I see.
But so you're saying Cos (theta) = -i*2.91 was wrong, in that it should have been positive in the first place?

Thanks!
 
  • #12
No
cos (theta) = -i*2.91
cos (theta) = i*2.91
are both possible given
sin(theta)=3.08
we cannot know which value we have without more information
 
  • #13
Ooh, right. Cheers
 

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