Helping my daughter study for a Trig test....

  • Context: MHB 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ok782
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Study Test Trig
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on solving trigonometric problems encountered by a high school sophomore studying Calculus with a focus on Trigonometry. Key problems include using the Law of Cosines to find the unknown side of a triangle given angle B and sides a and c, and applying the Law of Sines to determine the remaining angles. Additionally, the discussion covers finding exact values for trigonometric functions without a calculator and solving a trigonometric equation within a specified domain. The solutions provided utilize fundamental trigonometric identities and properties of inverse functions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Law of Cosines and Law of Sines
  • Knowledge of inverse trigonometric functions
  • Familiarity with trigonometric identities
  • Basic algebra skills for solving equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the Law of Cosines and Law of Sines in detail
  • Learn about inverse trigonometric functions and their properties
  • Practice solving trigonometric equations in various domains
  • Explore trigonometric identities and their applications in problem-solving
USEFUL FOR

Students preparing for high school mathematics exams, particularly those studying Trigonometry and Calculus, as well as parents assisting their children with math homework.

ok782
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
My daughter is a Sophmore in high school and is taking Calculus with a current focus on Trig. I am trying to help her study but this stuff is way over my head...but I am trying! Can anyone help me with this? Here are a few of her study problems that we cannot figure out. Can you help me to solve but also explain how so we can learn? Thank you so much!Solve the following triangle and find it's area. Round all sides and all angles to the nearest tenth.
B =72 degrees, a=10, c=7Find the exact values for the following without using a calculator:

1 - Sin(Arcsin2)
2 - Arc cos(cos 7pi/4)
3 - csc(arc cos 2/9)
4 - tan(arc sin 3/7)Solve the following trigonometric equation for the domain 0 <= x <2pi

1- 2sin^2 x=0Thank you so much to anyone who has the chance to look this over. The test is tomorrow, so hopefully someone will see this today!
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
For the first problem, to get the unknown side $b$, we can use the Law of Cosines as follows:

$$b=\sqrt{a^2+c^2-2ac\cos\left(72^{\circ}\right)}$$

Then, to get the two unknown angles $A$ and $C$, we can use the Law of Sines as follows:

$$\frac{\sin(A)}{a}=\frac{\sin(B)}{b}\implies A=\arcsin\left(\frac{a\sin(B)}{b}\right)$$

$$\frac{\sin(C)}{c}=\frac{\sin(B)}{b}\implies C=\arcsin\left(\frac{c\sin(B)}{b}\right)$$

Actually, once you get one of the unknown angles, you can use the fact that the sum of all 3 interior angles must be $180^{\circ}$ to get the remaining unknown angle.

And finally to get the area $Z$, we can use the following formula:

$$Z=\frac{1}{2}ac\sin(B)$$
 
ok782 said:
Find the exact values for the following without using a calculator:

1 - Sin(Arcsin2)
2 - Arc cos(cos 7pi/4)
3 - csc(arc cos 2/9)
4 - tan(arc sin 3/7)Solve the following trigonometric equation for the domain 0 <= x <2pi

1- 2sin^2 x=0Thank you so much to anyone who has the chance to look this over. The test is tomorrow, so hopefully someone will see this today!

Some hints for the first lot here:

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} -1 \leq \sin{(x)} \leq 1 , \, -1 \leq \cos{(x)} \leq 1 \end{align*}$

The inverse trigonometric functions are defined over the following regions:

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} -\frac{\pi}{2} \leq \arcsin{(x)} \leq \frac{\pi}{2}, \, 0 \leq \arccos{(x)} \leq \pi , \, -\frac{\pi}{2} \leq \tan{(x)} \leq \frac{\pi}{2} \end{align*}$

I would be inclined to think that the first does not exist, as $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \arcsin{(2)} \end{align*}$ is saying there is an angle such that $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \sin{\left( \theta \right) } = 2 \end{align*}$, which is impossible.

2.
$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \cos{ \left( \frac{7\,\pi}{4} \right) } &= \cos{ \left( 2\,\pi - \frac{\pi}{4} \right) } \\ &= \cos{ \left( \frac{\pi}{4} \right) } \end{align*}$

and since $\displaystyle \begin{align*} 0 \leq \arccos{ (x) } \leq \pi \end{align*}$, that would have to mean

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \arccos{ \left[ \cos{ \left( \frac{7\,\pi}{4} \right) } \right] } &= \arccos{ \left[ \cos{ \left( \frac{\pi}{4} \right) } \right] } \\ &= \frac{\pi}{4} \end{align*}$

3.
$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \arccos{ \left( \frac{2}{9} \right) } \end{align*}$ is in the first quadrant (can you see why?)

Drawing up a right angle triangle with an angle $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \theta \end{align*}$ having adjacent side 2 units and hypotenuse 9 units, by Pythagoras the opposite side must be $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \sqrt{77} \end{align*}$ units, therefore $\displaystyle \begin{align*} \arccos{ \left( \frac{2}{9} \right) } = \arcsin{ \left( \frac{\sqrt{77}}{9} \right) } \end{align*}$. So

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} \csc{ \left[ \arccos{ \left( \frac{2}{9} \right) } \right] } &= \csc{ \left[ \arcsin{ \left( \frac{\sqrt{77}}{9} \right) } \right] } \\ &= \frac{1}{\sin{ \left[ \arcsin{ \left( \frac{\sqrt{77}}{9} \right) } \right] }} \\ &= \frac{1}{\frac{\sqrt{77}}{9}} \\ &= \frac{9}{\sqrt{77}} \\ &= \frac{9\,\sqrt{77}}{77} \end{align*}$

Do you think your daughter could follow a similar process for question 4?

- - - Updated - - -

ok782 said:
1- 2sin^2 x=0

$\displaystyle \begin{align*} 1 - 2\sin^2{(x)} &= 0 \\ 2\sin^2{(x)} &= 1 \\ \sin^2{(x)} &= \frac{1}{2} \\ \sin{(x)} &= \pm \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \\ x &= \left\{ \frac{\pi}{4} , \, \frac{3\,\pi}{4} , \, \frac{5\,\pi}{4} , \, \frac{7\,\pi}{4} \right\} + 2\,\pi\,n \textrm{ where }n \in \mathbf{Z} \\ x &= \left\{ \frac{\pi}{4}, \, \frac{3\,\pi}{4}, \, \frac{5\,\pi}{4} , \, \frac{7\,\pi}{4} \right\} \textrm{ as } 0 \leq x \leq 2\,\pi \end{align*}$
 
MarkFL said:
For the first problem, to get the unknown side $b$, we can use the Law of Cosines as follows:

$$b=\sqrt{a^2+c^2-2ac\cos\left(72^{\circ}\right)}$$

And finally to get the area $Z$, we can use the following formula:

$$Z=\frac{1}{2}ac\sin(B)$$
This is correct, but also note that $$Z=\frac{1}{4}\sqrt{4a^2b^2-(a^2+b^2-c^2)^2}$$.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
2K