Solve Trig Challenge: Find All Values of x

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The forum discussion focuses on solving the trigonometric equation $\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{18}\right)\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{9}\right)\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{6}\right)=\tan x$. The user kaliprasad provided a solution utilizing an algebraic method for simplification, which has been recognized as effective in tackling similar trigonometric challenges. This approach emphasizes the importance of algebraic manipulation in solving complex trigonometric equations.

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Find all values of $x$ which satisfy $\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{18}\right)\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{9}\right)\tan \left( x+\dfrac{\pi}{6}\right)=\tan x$.
 
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$\tan\, x \cot (x +\frac{\pi}{18}) = \tan (x+\frac{\pi}{9}) \tan (x + \frac{\pi}{6})$

or $\dfrac{\sin\, x\ cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18})}{cos\, x \,\sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18})} = \dfrac{sin (x+ \frac{\pi}{9})sin (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) \cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}$

using compnendo and dividendo we have

$\dfrac{\sin\, x \cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18}) +cos\, x sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18})}{\cos\, x sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18}) - \sin\, x \cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18})}$ =
$\dfrac{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})+ \sin (x+\frac{\pi}{9}) \sin (x +\frac{\pi}{6} )}{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9})\ cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})- \sin (x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) sin (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}$
or $\dfrac{sin (2x + \frac{\pi}{18})}{sin(\frac{\pi}{18})} =\dfrac {cos \frac{\pi}{18}}{cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18})}$

or $\sin (2x+\frac{\pi}{18})\ cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18}) = \sin \frac{\pi}{18}\cos\frac{\pi}{18}$
or $2\sin (2x+\frac{\pi}{18})\ cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18}) =2 \sin \frac{\pi}{18}\cos\frac{\pi}{18}$

or $\sin (4x + \frac{\pi}{3}) – \sin \frac{2\pi}{9} = 2 \sin \frac{\pi}{9}$
or or $\sin (4x + \frac{\pi}{3})= \sin \frac{\pi}{9} + sin \frac{2\pi}{9} = 2 \sin (\frac{\frac{\pi}{9} +\frac{ 2pi}{9}}{2}) \cos (\frac{\frac{\pi}{9} -\frac{ 2pi}{9}}{2} ) = \cos\frac{\pi}{18} $
or $\cos (\frac{\pi}{6}-4x)= \cos \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $\cos (4x – \frac{\pi}{6}) = \cos \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $4x – \frac{pi}{6} = 2n\pi \pm \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $x = \frac{2n\pi + \frac{\pi}{6}\pm \frac{\ pi}{18}}{4}$
 
Last edited:
kaliprasad said:
$\tan\, x \cot (x +\frac{\pi}{18}) = \tan (x+\frac{\pi}{9}) \tan (x + \frac{\pi}{6})$

or $\dfrac{\sin\, x\ cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18})}{cos\, x \,\sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18})} = \dfrac{sin (x+ \frac{\pi}{9})sin (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) \cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}$

using compnendo and dividendo we have

$\dfrac{\sin\, x \cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18}) +cos\, x sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18})}{\cos\, x sin (x+\frac{\pi}{18}) - \sin\, x \cos (x+ \frac{\pi}{18})}$ =
$\dfrac{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})+ \sin (x+\frac{\pi}{9}) \sin (x +\frac{\pi}{6} )}{\cos(x+ \frac{\pi}{9})\ cos (x + \frac{\pi}{6})- \sin (x+ \frac{\pi}{9}) sin (x + \frac{\pi}{6})}$
or $\dfrac{sin (2x + \frac{\pi}{18})}{sin(\frac{\pi}{18})} =\dfrac {cos \frac{\pi}{18}}{cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18})}$

or $\sin (2x+\frac{\pi}{18})\ cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18}) = \sin \frac{\pi}{18}\cos\frac{\pi}{18}$
or $2\sin (2x+\frac{\pi}{18})\ cos (2x + \frac{5\pi}{18}) =2 \sin \frac{\pi}{18}\cos\frac{\pi}{18}$

or $\sin (4x + \frac{\pi}{3}) – \sin \frac{2\pi}{9} = 2 \sin \frac{\pi}{9}$
or or $\sin (4x + \frac{\pi}{3})= \sin \frac{\pi}{9} + sin \frac{2\pi}{9} = 2 \sin (\frac{\frac{\pi}{9} +\frac{ 2pi}{9}}{2}) \cos (\frac{\frac{\pi}{9} -\frac{ 2pi}{9}}{2} ) = \cos\frac{\pi}{18} $
or $\cos (\frac{\pi}{6}-4x)= \cos \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $\cos (4x – \frac{\pi}{6}) = \cos \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $4x – \frac{pi}{6} = 2n\pi \pm \frac{\pi}{18}$

or $x = \frac{2n\pi + \frac{\pi}{6}\pm \frac{\ pi}{18}}{4}$

Thanks, kaliprasad for your solution using the method that has been proven to be such an useful algebraic way of simplification! (Sun)
 

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