MATHEMATICIAN DATE BAND

BASIC TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

PRECALCULUS | PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

Were going to look at solving basic trigonometric equations from three viewpoints: the unit circle, the graph, and
the calculator. Use the following images to help you: the unit circle, and the graphs of sine and cosine. You will
need to use a protractor for the unit circle.

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 Sine and Cosine graphs in degrees

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Part I: Unit Circles, Graphs, and Calculators, Oh my!

For all of these problems, were going to be looking for answers from 0 x < 360 .
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1. Lets solve sin(x) = 0.3 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants I and II.

We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the first quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the second quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Find the two solutions using the sine graphs provided _____ and _____

Are they close to your answers in parts (c) and (d)? YES / NO

(f) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing sin([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about 0.3? YES / NO

(g) You saw this in Geometry, but it was a long time ago! We can use your calculator to find a better approximate
answer to sin(x) = 0.3 . To undo the sine function, we took the inverse sine of both sides. So we typed:

sin 1 (0.3)

What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the first quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the second quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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2. Lets solve sin(x) = 0.3 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants III and IV.
We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the third quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the fourth quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Find the two solutions using the sine graphs provided _____ and _____

Are they close to your answers in parts (c) and (d)? YES / NO

(f) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing sin([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about -0.3? YES / NO

(g) Using your calculator, find one answer. What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the fourth quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the third quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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3. Lets solve cos(x) = 0.8 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants I and IV.

We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the first quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the fourth quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Find the two solutions using the cosine graphs provided _____ and _____

Are they close to your answers in parts (c) and (d)? YES / NO

(f) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing cos([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about 0.8? YES / NO

(g) Using your calculator, find one answer. What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the first quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the fourth quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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4. Lets solve cos(x) = 0.8 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants II and III.

We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the second quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the third quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Find the two solutions using the cosine graphs provided _____ and _____

Are they close to your answers in parts (c) and (d)? YES / NO

(f) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing cos([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about -0.8? YES / NO

(g) Using your calculator, find one answer. What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the second quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the third quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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5. Lets solve tan(x) = 1.1 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants I and III.

We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the first quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the third quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing tan([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about 1.1? YES / NO

(f) Using your calculator, find one answer. What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the first quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the third quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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6. Lets solve tan(x) = 1.1 in multiple ways.

(a) The two solutions are angles in Quadrants II and IV.

We know this because:

(b) On this mini-unit circle, mark approximately where the two solutions are:

(c) Use your protractor and the large unit circle to find the second quadrant solution, approximately: _____

(d) Use the first quadrant answer and logic to find the fourth quadrant solution, approximately: _____
Do not measure this answer using a protractor!

Work:

(e) Now lets use your calculator. Make sure it is in degree mode Now check your approximate answers found
above by typing tan([your approximate answers here]). Do you get an output of about -1.1? YES / NO

(f) Using your calculator, find one answer. What is the output (write five decimal places)? _____________

Notice that this output is in the fourth quadrant.

Do the same calculation you did in part (d) to get the second quadrant answer (write five decimal places):

_____________

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Part II: Focusing on your calculator!

For all of these problems, were going to be looking for answers from 0 x < 360 . Rely on your calculator!
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7. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
sin(x) = 0.1 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

8. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
sin(x) = 0.1 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

9. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
cos(x) = 0.4 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

10. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
cos(x) = 0.4 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

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11. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
tan(x) = 0.5 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

12. Mark where the solutions are for Use your calculator to find one Now use that answer and logic to
tan(x) = 0.5 approximately on this solution. Round it to five decimal find the second solution (to five
mini-unit circle. places. decimal places). Show your work.

_____________ _____________

Part III: Solving More Complex Equations Using Your Calculator

For all of these problems, were going to be initially looking for answers from 0 x < 360 . I will provide a mini-
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unit circle to help you in each problem. Write your answers rounded to the second decimal place.

13. 2sin(x) 1 = 0.2 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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Okay, we originally had our solutions restricted from 0 x < 360 . But now I want all possible solutions:
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All possible solutions: ________________________ and ________________________

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14. 8cos(x) 2.1 = 5 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ and ________________________

15. 6.2 tan(x) 1.3 = 1.7 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ (Hint: notice for this tangent equation I am only leaving
one blank here! You can consolidate all solutions easily into one expression! Think about why!)

16. 10.3sin(x) 12.4 = 5.1 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ and ________________________

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17. 40cos(x) 5 = 10 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ and ________________________

18. 0.2 tan(x) 2.1 = 3 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ (Hint: see above for #15!)

19. 0.2sin(x) 5 = 3.1 Work:

Solutions for 0 x < 360 : _____________ and _____________

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All possible solutions: ________________________ and ________________________

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Part IV: Solving More Complex Equations Using Desmos!

20. Okay were going to use Desmos to solve #13-#19! Make sure Desmos is in degree mode!

#13: 2sin(x) 1 = 0.2 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
y = 2sin(x) 1 down, rounded to two decimal
Graph y = 0.2 on points:
Desmos. _____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#13? YES / NO

#14: 8cos(x) 2.1 = 5 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#14? YES / NO

#15: 6.2 tan(x) 1.3 = 1.7 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#15? YES / NO

#16: 10.3sin(x) 12.4 = 5.1 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#16? YES / NO

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#17: 40cos(x) 5 = 10 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#17? YES / NO

#18: 0.2 tan(x) 2.1 = 3 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#18? YES / NO

#19: 0.2sin(x) 5 = 3.1 Find an appropriate window (fill in the y range Look for the solutions for
as well as the step value) 0o x < 360o . Write them
Graph the appropriate down, rounded to two decimal
equations on Desmos. points:

_____________

_____________

Do they match your work from

#19? YES / NO

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