# Thread: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

1. ## How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

The original equation was sin(x)=cos(x). The solutions can lie in the other variant, tan(x)=1 [sin(x)/cos(x) = tan(x) by default).

I looked at the sin/cos periodicity table and noticed one solution for both functions of cos(x) and sin(x): (pi/4, square root of 2/2). How could I find the other solutions; in other words, is there an equation to note them?

2. ## Re: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

Originally Posted by bossbasslol
The original equation was sin(x)=cos(x). The solutions can lie in the other variant, tan(x)=1 [sin(x)/cos(x) = tan(x) by default).
The answer is that the $\cos(x)=\sin(x)$ is true if $x=\frac{\pi}{4}+2k\pi,~k\in\mathbb{Z}$
OR $\cos(x)=\sin(x)$ is true if $x=\frac{5\pi}{4}+2k\pi,~k\in\mathbb{Z}$

3. ## Re: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

Originally Posted by Plato
The answer is that the $\cos(x)=\sin(x)$ is true if $x=\frac{\pi}{4}+2k\pi,~k\in\mathbb{Z}$
OR $\cos(x)=\sin(x)$ is true if $x=\frac{5\pi}{4}+2k\pi,~k\in\mathbb{Z}$
There are solutions in the 1st and 3rd quadrants (where tan x is positive)

4. ## Re: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

Thank you Plato, but how did you get the equations x= x/4 + 2kpi and x = 5pi/4 + 2kpi?

5. ## Re: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

Originally Posted by bossbasslol
Thank you Plato, but how did you get the equations x= x/4 + 2kpi and x = 5pi/4 + 2kpi?
Well want $\tan(x)=\dfrac{\sin(x)}{\cos(x)}=1$.
That is a fundamental fact that you are expected to know.
For all $x$ it is true that $\sin(x)=\sin(x+2k\pi),~k\in\mathbb{Z}$ That is also the case for $\cos(x)$.
You are also expected to know that $\sin\left(\dfrac{\pi}{4}\right)=\cos\left(\dfrac{ \pi}{4}\right)~\&~\sin\left(\dfrac{-3\pi}{4}\right)=\cos\left(\dfrac{-3\pi}{4}\right)$.

6. ## Re: How can I find the solutions of tan(x)=1?

Let x= sin(t) and y= cos(t). Then $\displaystyle x^2+ y^2= sin^2(t)+ cos^2(t)= 1$ which has the unit circle as graph. You are also given that sin(t)= cos(t) so x= y. The graph of that is a straight line. (In fact, it is a diameter of the circle.) Both are satisfied where the straight line y= x crosses the circle $\displaystyle x^2+ y^2= 1$. That is, $\displaystyle x^2+ x^2= 2x^2= 1$ so $\displaystyle x= \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}= \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}$. One solution is, as you give, $\displaystyle t= \frac{\pi}{4}$. The other is half way around the circle, $\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{4}+ \pi= \frac{5\pi}{4}$