Solving a system of trigonometric equations, for x and y (multivariable calculus).
Alright, here's the problem:
theta = arctan(y/(x-1)) and phi = arctan(y/(x+1))
I started off by taking the tangent of each side, which seemed obvious enough. So tan(theta) = y/x-1 and tan(phi) = y/x+1, but now I don't know of any method to isolate just the y and the x. Multiplying x-1 and x+1 to the other side doesn't help matters much, since it just adds an x to the other side that you still can't isolate.
Anybody know how to go about solving this? Thanks.
Re: Solving a system of trigonometric equations, for x and y (multivariable calculus)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mik
Alright, here's the problem:
theta = arctan(y/(x-1)) and phi = arctan(y/(x+1))
I started off by taking the tangent of each side, which seemed obvious enough. So tan(theta) = y/x-1 and tan(phi) = y/x+1, but now I don't know of any method to isolate just the y and the x. Multiplying x-1 and x+1 to the other side doesn't help matters much, since it just adds an x to the other side that you still can't isolate.
Anybody know how to go about solving this? Thanks.
Hi Mik! :)
You have the equations:
tan(theta) = y/(x-1) and tan(phi) = y/(x+1)
(x-1)tan(theta) = y and (x+1)tan(phi) = y
Equate the equations to each other:
(x-1)tan(theta) = (x+1)tan(phi)
Solve for x...
Then calculate y from y=(x+1)tan(phi).