Thread: Simple trig equation...

Can someone help with this (solve for x):

sinxtanx+tanx-2sinx+cosx=0

I end up with:
2sinxcosx-sinx-1=0 but can't get further....

please help!

I don't much like it, but you can still get rid of the cosine using .

Rearrange, Square, Rearrange, and notice that it factors a little, (sin(x)+1)(Other Stuff) = 0.

Irritatingly, sin(x) + 1 = 0 leads to (3/2)pi which is NOT a solution of the original expression. Your task is to find the remaining Real solution to the cubic expression in sin(x). I could tell you what it is, exactly, but you totally do NOT want to know that. Perhaps a numerical solution would be best. Start looking around x = 3.5

Note also that tan(x) can be written as Sin(x)/cos(x)

Thanks TKHunny but I don't like it either. sinx = -1 is not in the domain set for the problem as tanx = oo when sinx = -1.

Trying your suggestion I got the cubic:

4sin^3x - 4Sin^2x + sinx +1 = 0

which has a remainder of -8 when subbing for sinx = -1, i.e it is not a factor as it becomes:

(sinx + 1)(4sin^2 - 8sinx + 9) - 8 = 0

Graphing seems the only way to solve this and it gives a solution of x = 3.4968 (or sinx = -0.3478).

I think the problem is messed up as this is way too difficult for grade math.

I don't know what to say to the suggestion from moolimanj...

Originally Posted by Air

Multiplying through by




...Continue and see if this would work.

I don't know what to say to the suggestion from moolimanj...

Freya meant that he already did what moolimanj suggested. He just multiplied by -1 in the end.