# Thread: funny trigonometric equation

1. ## funny trigonometric equation

This equation looks simple enough to solve, but I'm having real difficulty doing it. It is:

tanx + x == 0;

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to proceed in solving it?
Thanks beforehand guys.

2. Originally Posted by tombrownington
This equation looks simple enough to solve, but I'm having real difficulty doing it. It is:

tanx + x == 0;

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to proceed in solving it?
Thanks beforehand guys.
There's no way that we can find an exact answer for this equation.

However, we can approximate the value of x.

If you know calculus, you can use the Newton-Raphson Method : $\displaystyle x_{n+1}=x_n-\frac{f(x_n)}{f'(x_n)}$

Alternatively, you can also use a calculator to approximate the solution(s)

I''m sure there are other approximation methods, but I can't think of them at the moment.

I hope this helps.

--Chris

3. Originally Posted by tombrownington
This equation looks simple enough to solve, but I'm having real difficulty doing it. It is:

tanx + x == 0;

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to proceed in solving it?
Thanks beforehand guys.
x = 0 is a solution of course ....