IB Math SL

Tips for Solving Trigonometric Equations

The following instructions should allow you to solve most trigonometric equations you encounter.
Sometimes it might be necessary to use algebraic manipulation to make your equation fit one of the
following types. Remember you can always use your calculator to solve and check the solutions.

Note: Always make sure you calculator is in the appropriate mode before solving trig equations.

Type 1: Equations with one trigonometric function and a constant.

• Isolate the trig function on one side, constants on the other.
• Take inverse trig of the constant. The calculator will give you one solution. (For sin and tan this
will be between –90° and 90° (-π /2 and π /2), for cosine between 0° and 180° (0 and π ))
• Before solving for x, find all possible solutions. (There should be 2, unless you started with the
square of a trig function, in which case there’ll be 4 solutions, one from each quadrant)
• If you have sine you find the other solution by doing 180° – calculator solution.
• If you have cosine, the other solution will be negative of calculator solution.
• If you have tangent, the other solution will be 180° + calculator solution.
• Add 360°n or 2π n to your answers. (For tangent you can just do calculator solution +180°n or
π n)
• Solve for x, for each of the possible solutions.
• Plug in values of n until you have all the answers in the stated domain.
• Check that you have obtained all solutions for the domain stated (can be done on calculator)

Examples:
 θ
2
1 1
1)  cos  = , 0° ≤ θ ≤ 360 ° . 4) cos 2θ = , 0° ≤ θ ≤ 180 °
 2 2 2
sin 5 x = −0.5, 0° ≤ x ≤180 ° . 1
2) 5) sin( 3θ + 10 °) = , 0° ≤ θ ≤ 180 ° .
1 4
3) sin (θ − 45 °) = , 0° ≤ θ ≤ 360 ° 6) tan (θ ) = 3 , 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π .
2
2

Type 2: Equations with cos2x and cosx (or sin or tan) or equations with sinx/sin2x (or cos) and sinxcosx.
• Set one side equal to zero.
• Factor. (Do NOT divide by a trig function)
• Solve each factor separately as in Type 1. It is not necessary for each factor to have a solution.

Examples:
1) 2 sin θ cos θ + cos θ = 0, 0° ≤ θ ≤ 360 °

Type 3: Equations with sinx and cosx, and no constants.

• Divide each term by cos x to convert everything to tanx and a constant (tanx = sinx/cosx).
• Follow steps for Type 1.

Examples:
1) 3 cos x = 5 sin x , 0º < x < 360º
2) 3sinx + 4cosx = 0, 0° ≤ x < 360 °
Type 4: Equations with sin2x and cosx/cos2x (or vice versa)
• Use trigonometric identity sin2x + cos2x = 1 (sin2x = 1 – cos2x or cos2x = 1 – sin2x) to rewrite the
equation in terms of just one trig function.
• Follow the steps for new Type (probably type 2).

Examples:
1) Solve 3sin2x = cos2x, 0° ≤ x ≤ 180 ° .
2) Solve 5 cos 2 x + sin 2 x = 4 , 0° ≤ x ≤ 360 °
3) Find all the exact solutions to the equation 6 cos x − 4 sin 2 x = 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π
4) (a) Simplify the expression sin2x + cos2x.
(b) Solve the equation sin2x + 5cos2x = 2 for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360 ° .
5) (a) Express 2 cos 2 x + sin x in terms of sin x only.
(b) Solve the equation 2 cos 2 x + sin x = 2 for x in the interval 0 < x < π , giving your answers exactly.
6) (a) Write the expression 3 sin 2 x + 4 cos x in the form a cos 2 x + b cos x + c .
(b) Hence or otherwise, solve the equation 3 sin 2 x + 4 cos x − 4 = 0 , 0º < x < 90º.
7) Consider the trigonometric equation 2 sin 2 x = 1 + cos x .
(a) Write this equation in the form f ( x ) = 0 , where f ( x) = a cos 2 x + b cos x + c , and a, b, and c ∈ Ζ .
(b) Factorize f ( x ) .
(c) Solve f ( x ) = 0 for 0º < x < 360º.

Type 5: Equations with sin2x and sinx (or cos).

• Convert using double angle formulas (cos2x = 1 - 2sin2x = 2cos2x – 1 = cos2x – sin2x or sin2x =
2sinxcosx) (Do not convert if all angles are 2x)
• Follow the steps for new Type.

Examples:
1) Find the exact solutions to the equation sin 2 x = sin x , for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π .
2) Solve sin2x + sinx = 0 for − π ≤ x ≤ π
3) Solve 3sinx + cos2x = 2 for 0 < x < 2π .

Type 6: Equations with tanx/tan2x and sinx or cosx.

• Use the trig identity tanx = sinx/cosx or tan2x = sin2x/cos2x and algebraic manipulation to convert
everything to the same trig function.
• Follow the steps for new Type.

Example:
1
1) tan 2 x + 1 = , 0° ≤ x < 180 °
sin 2 x

Type 7: Equations with trig functions in the denominator.

• Multiply every term by least common denominator.
• Follow the steps for new Type.

Example: See above

Type 8: Other Types.

• Use the calculator!

Example:
1) Find all solutions of the equation cos 3x = cos( 0.5 x) , for 0 ≤ x ≤ π .