TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

APPLICATIONS
Learning Objectives
1. solve trigonometric equations
2. solve situational problems involving inverse trigonometric
functions and trigonometric equations
 Solving Equations involving
Trigonometric or Circular Functions

1. Take note of the restrictions on the required solutions

2. Identities will be very helpful
3. In many instances, converting everything in terms of sine
and cosine is the magic trick
4. Sum, difference, double-measure, and half-measure
identities will be helpful in converting all trigonometric
expressions so that they share the same argument
Find all solutions x ∈ [0,2π) of the equation:
2 cos2x – 5cos x – 3 = 0

(2 cos x + 1)(cos x – 3) = 0
1
cos x =– or cos x = 3
2

𝟐𝝅 𝟒𝝅
,−
𝟑 𝟑
Find all solutions θ ∈ [0°,360°):
cot2θ – 3 csc θ + 3 = 0

(csc2θ – 1) – 3 cscθ + 3 = 0
csc2θ – 3 cscθ + 2 = 0
(cscθ – 1)(cscθ – 2) = 0
cscθ = 1 or cscθ = 2
1
sinθ = 1 or sinθ =
2

θ = 90°, 30°, 150°

Find all solutions ∈ [0,2π) of the equation:
tan 2x + cot 2x = 2
1
tan 2x + =2
tan 2x
tan22x – 2 tan2x + 1 = 0
(tan2x – 1)2 = 0
tan2x = 1
𝜋 5𝜋 9𝜋 13𝜋
2x = , , ,
4 4 4 4

𝝅 𝟓𝝅 𝟗𝝅 𝟏𝟑𝝅
x= , , ,
𝟖 𝟖 𝟖 𝟖
 θ
Find all solutions θ ∈ [0°,360°): sinθ = cos
2

θ θ θ
2 sin cos = cos
2 2 2
θ θ
cos (2sin – 1) = 0
2 2
θ θ 1
cos = 0 or sin =
2 2 2

θ θ
Note that ∈ [0°,180°). Thus = 90°, 30°, 150°
2 2
θ =180°, 60°, 300°
 𝑥
Find all solutions, x: sin -1 + cot-1 3 + csc-1(-1) = 0
5

𝑥 𝜋 𝜋
sin -1 + + − =0
5 6 2
𝑥 𝜋
sin -1 =
5 3

𝑥 𝜋
sin sin−1 = sin
5 3
𝑥 𝜋 3
= sin =
5 3 2
𝟓 𝟑
𝐱=
𝟐
Find all solutions: sin-1(5x – 6) – csc-12 =cot-10
𝜋 𝜋
sin-1(5x – 6) – =
6 2
𝜋 𝜋
sin-1(5x – 6) = – +
6 2
𝜋
Note that the right-hand side exceeds ,
2
𝜋 𝜋
while the range of the inverse sine function is only – , .
2 2

Thus, this equation has no solution.

 π
Find all solutions: cos-1(x) - sin-1(x) =
6

Let α = cos −1 x and β = sin−1 (x)

π
The equation becomes α − β =
6
π
sin α − β = sin
6
1
sin α cos β − cos α sin β =
2

1 2
1 − x2
1− −x = x2
2
2 2
1
1−x −x =
2
2
1 1 𝟏
x = x=± 𝐱=
4 2 𝟐
 x π
Find all solutions: cos-1 + tan-1(x) =
2 2
x
Let α = cos −1 and β = tan−1 (x)
2
π
The equation becomes α + β =
2
π
cos α = cos − β = sin β
2
sec β = 1 + tan2 β = 1 + x 2
tan β x
sin β = tan β cos β = =
sec β 1 + x2
x x
=
2 1 + x2
x 1 + x 2 − 2x = 0
x 1 + x2 − 2 = 0
𝟎, ± 𝟑
Exercises
Solve for all values of θ satisfying the given equation
and 0° ≤ θ ≤ 360°:

1. sin2 θ cos θ = 4 cos θ

2. 4 cos2 θ − 1 = 0
3. sin2 θ = cos2 θ + cos θ
4. cos θ = sin 2θ
5. 3 + cot 2 θ = 0