# Homework Help: Trig Equation

1. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

3 cos x + 4 = 0
cos x = -4/3

How do I solve this? I can't take the arcsine...

---

sin (3x - 40) = 0

Is the general solution 73.3 + 120k | k E I?

2. Oct 3, 2005

### robphy

Did you try to use complex numbers or hyperbolic trig functions?

3. Oct 3, 2005

### hotvette

Could try graphing it and see where it crosses zero.

4. Oct 3, 2005

### Jameson

It's not going to cross the x-axis. You'll have to encorporte complex numbers like robphy said.

5. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

We don't cover complex numbers until the end of the year. Does this mean I say it has no solution?

6. Oct 3, 2005

### JoshHolloway

Why can you not take the cosine inverse of x?

7. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

4/3 > 1 so you get a domain error... or at least that's how I see it.

8. Oct 3, 2005

### benjamincarson

Unless I'm missing something, your given value for cos x is incorrect. Any value of the cosine function is in a way "stuck" between -1 and 1.

Use a calculator and take the cosine of any degree/radian measure you wish, it will always be between -1 and 1.

Last edited: Oct 4, 2005
9. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

I got -4/3 from rearranging the equation. The fact that 4/3 > 1 is my problem.

10. Oct 3, 2005

### benjamincarson

Is this an equation that needs solving, or an identity that needs verifying?

11. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

"Solve for all possible values of x."

12. Oct 3, 2005

### benjamincarson

no solution

13. Oct 3, 2005

### cscott

Thank you.

14. Oct 4, 2005

### cscott

I have another problem

sin^2 x = 3/4

for one of the possible answers I get $\frac{\pi}{3} + 2\pi k$ but my book says it should be $\pi$ instead of $2\pi$ for the period. How come?

15. Oct 4, 2005

### whozum

The sin value is squared, so the negative values square out to give a solution too.

16. Oct 4, 2005

### cscott

Yes I know. Let me clarify: $\frac{\pi}{3} + 2\pi k$ is one possible solution but my book says it should be $\frac{\pi}{3} + \pi k$ and I don't know why.

17. Oct 4, 2005

### robphy

$$e^{i\pi}=-1$$

18. Oct 4, 2005

### cscott

I haven't done complex numbers so I don't really know the significance of that expression.

19. Oct 4, 2005

### TD

$$\sin ^2 x = \frac{3} {4} \Leftrightarrow \sin x = \pm \sqrt {\frac{3} {4}} = \pm \frac{{\sqrt 3 }} {2}$$

Now determine the solution in both cases (the + and the - case).

20. Oct 4, 2005

### cscott

I would say

$$\frac{\pi}{3} + 2\pi k | k \epsilon I, \frac{4\pi}{3} + 2\pi k | k \epsilon I$$

but my book says

$$\frac{\pi}{3} + \pi k | k \epsilon I, \frac{4\pi}{3} + \pi k | k \epsilon I$$

and I don't know why

21. Oct 5, 2005

### TD

Also remember the supplementary solution, $\sin \left( \alpha \right) = \sin \left( {\pi - \alpha } \right)$. You immediately have this if you don't multiply with 2k*pi but just with k*pi.

22. Oct 5, 2005

### cscott

Ohhh, I see. Thanks a lot!

By the way, how do you read the <=> arrow you used and how is it different than just =>?

23. Oct 5, 2005

### TD

No problem!

24. Oct 5, 2005

### Diane_

The "=>" is an implication arrow - it means that, if the left-hand side is true, the right-hand side is also true.

The "<=>" is basically an implication arrow going both ways, and is generally read "if and only if". It's a much more powerful condition, meaning that if either side is true, the other side is also true. Outside of definitions and relatively trivial things, you don't get one of those very often. When you do, it's worth paying attention to.

25. Oct 5, 2005

### cscott

Wait! Let me just check my understanding: the solution to the equation I posted can be either the one including pi/3 or the one inlcluding 4pi/3 and each solution has to encorporate the negative and positive sqrt(3)/2?

I say this because pi/3 + pi gives -sqrt(3)/2 but I got the pi/3 in the first place using sin x = +sqrt(3)/2

Is this correct? It doesn't seem like it...