Problems

Filters
Clear Filters

3 problems found

2009 Paper 2 Q3
D: 1600.0 B: 1500.0

Prove that \[ \tan \left ( \tfrac14 \pi -\tfrac12 x \right)\equiv \sec x -\tan x\,. \tag{\(*\)} \]

  1. Use \((*)\) to find the value of \(\tan\frac18\pi\,\). Hence show that \[ \tan \tfrac{11}{24} \pi = \frac{\sqrt3 + \sqrt2 -1}{\sqrt3 -\sqrt6+1}\;. \]
  2. Show that \[ \frac{\sqrt3 + \sqrt2 -1}{\sqrt3 -\sqrt6+1}= 2+\sqrt2+\sqrt3+\sqrt6\,. \]
  3. Use \((*)\) to show that \[ \tan \tfrac1{48}\pi = \sqrt{16+10\sqrt2+8\sqrt3 +6\sqrt6 \ }-2-\sqrt2-\sqrt3-\sqrt6\,. \]


Solution: \begin{align*} && \tan \left ( \tfrac14 \pi -\tfrac12 x \right) &\equiv \frac{\tan \tfrac{\pi}{4} - \tan \tfrac12 x}{1 + \tan \tfrac{\pi}{4} \tan \tfrac12 x} \\ &&&= \frac{1-\tan \tfrac12 x}{1+\tan \tfrac12 x} \\ \\ && \sec x - \tan x &= \frac{1+t^2}{1-t^2} - \frac{2t}{1-t^2} \\ &&&= \frac{(1-t)^2}{(1-t)(1+t)} \\ &&&= \frac{1-t}{1+t} \end{align*} Therefore both sides are equal to the same thing.

  1. \(\tan \tfrac18 \pi = \tan(\tfrac14 \pi - \tfrac12 \tfrac14\pi) = \sec \tfrac14 \pi - \tan \tfrac14 \pi = \sqrt{2} - 1\) \begin{align*} && \tan \tfrac{11}{24} \pi &= \tan (\tfrac13 \pi +\tfrac18 \pi) \\ &&&= \frac{\tan \tfrac13 \pi +\tan \tfrac18 \pi}{1-\tan \tfrac13 \pi \tan \tfrac18 \pi} \\ &&&= \frac{\sqrt{3} + \sqrt{2} - 1}{1 - \sqrt{3}(\sqrt{2}-1)} \\ &&&= \frac{\sqrt{3} + \sqrt{2} - 1}{1 +\sqrt{3}-\sqrt{6}} \\ \end{align*}
  2. \(\,\) \begin{align*} && (\sqrt{3}-\sqrt{6}+1)(2+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}) &= (2\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}+3+3\sqrt{2}) + \\ &&&\quad+(-2\sqrt{6}-2\sqrt{3}-3\sqrt{2}-6) + \\ &&&\quad+(2+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}) \\ &&&= \sqrt{3}+\sqrt{2}-1 \end{align*}
  3. \(\,\) \begin{align*} && \tan \tfrac{1}{48} \pi &= \tan (\tfrac14\pi - \tfrac{11}{48} \pi) \\ &&&= \sec \tfrac{11}{24} \pi - \tan \tfrac{11}{24} \pi \\ &&&= \sqrt{1+\tan^2 \tfrac{11}{24}\pi} - \tan \tfrac{11}{24} \pi \\ &&&= \sqrt{1 + (2+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6})^2} - (2+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}) \\ &&&= \sqrt{16+10\sqrt{2} + 8\sqrt{3}+6\sqrt{6}} - 2 - \sqrt2 - \sqrt3-\sqrt6 \end{align*}

2005 Paper 1 Q7
D: 1500.0 B: 1516.0

The notation \(\displaystyle \prod^n_{r=1} \f (r)\) denotes the product $\f (1) \times \f (2) \times \f(3) \times \cdots \times \f(n)$. %For example, \(\displaystyle \prod_{r=1}^4 r = 24\). %Simplify \(\displaystyle \prod^n_{r=1} \frac{\g (r) }{ \g (r-1) }\). %You may assume that \(\g (r) \neq 0\) for any integer \(0 \le r \le n \). Simplify the following products as far as possible:

  1. \(\displaystyle \prod^n_{r=1} \l \frac{r+ 1 }{ r } \r\,\);
  2. \(\displaystyle \prod^n_{r=2} \l \frac{r^2 -1}{r^2 } \r\,\);
  3. $\displaystyle \prod^n_{r=1} \l {\cos \frac{2\pi }{ n} + \sin \frac{2\pi}{ n} \cot \frac{\l 2r-1 \r \pi }{ n} }\r\,$, where \(n\) is even.


Solution:

  1. \(\,\) \begin{align*} \prod^n_{r=1} \left ( \frac{r+ 1 }{ r } \right) &= \frac{2}{1} \cdot \frac{3}{2} \cdot \frac{4}{3} \cdots \frac{n-1}{n-2} \cdot \frac{n}{n-1} \cdot \frac{n+1}{n} \\ &= \frac{n+1}{1} = n+1 \end{align*}
  2. \(\,\) \begin{align*} \prod^n_{r=2} \left ( \frac{r^2 -1}{r^2 } \right) &= \prod^n_{r=2} \left ( \frac{(r -1)(r+1)}{r^2 } \right) \\ &= \left ( \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{3}{2} \right) \cdot \left ( \frac{2}{3} \cdot \frac{4}{3} \right) \cdots \left ( \frac{r-1}{r} \cdot \frac{r+1}{r}\right) \cdots \frac{n-1}{n} \cdot \frac{n+1}{n} \\ &= \frac{1}{n} \cdot \frac{n+1}{2} \\ &= \frac{n+1}{2n} \end{align*}
  3. When \(n\) is odd, the product is undefined, since we have a \(\cot \pi\) lurking in there. \begin{align*} \prod^n_{r=1} \left ( {\cos \frac{2\pi }{ n} + \sin \frac{2\pi}{ n} \cot \frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n} } \right) &= \prod^n_{r=1} \left ( {\cos \frac{2\pi }{ n} + \sin \frac{2\pi}{ n} \frac{\cos \frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n}}{\sin\frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n}} } \right) \\ &= \prod^n_{r=1} \frac{1}{\sin\frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n}} \left ( {\cos \frac{2\pi }{ n} \sin\frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n} + \sin \frac{2\pi}{ n} \cos \frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n} } \right) \\ &= \prod^n_{r=1} \frac{1}{\sin\frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n}} \sin \left ( \frac{2\pi}{n} + \frac{(2r-1)\pi}{n} \right) \\ &= \prod^n_{r=1} \frac{1}{\sin\frac{ (2r-1 ) \pi }{ n}} \sin \left ( \frac{(2r+1)\pi}{n} \right) \\ &= \frac{\sin \frac{3\pi}{n}}{\sin \frac{\pi}{n}} \cdot \frac{\sin \frac{5\pi}{n}}{\sin \frac{3\pi}{n}} \cdots \frac{\sin \frac{(2n+1)\pi}{n}}{\sin \frac{(2n-1)\pi}{n}} \\ &= \frac{\sin \frac{(2n+1)\pi}{n}}{\sin \frac{\pi}{n}} \\ &= 1 \end{align*}

2001 Paper 1 Q4
D: 1500.0 B: 1484.0

Show that \(\displaystyle \tan 3\theta = \frac{3\tan\theta -\tan^3\theta}{1-3\tan^2\theta}\) . Given that \(\theta= \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt5)\) and \(0<\theta<\pi/2\), show that \(\tan 3\theta =11/2\) Hence, or otherwise, find all solutions of the equations

  1. \(\tan(3\cos^{-1} x) =11/2\) ,
  2. \(\cos ({\frac13}\tan^{-1} y) = 2/\sqrt5\) .


Solution: Let \(\tan \theta = t\) \begin{align*} \tan 3 \theta &\equiv \tan (2 \theta + \theta) \\ &\equiv \frac{\tan 2 \theta +\tan \theta}{1 - \tan 2 \theta \tan \theta} \\ &\equiv \frac{\frac{2t}{1-t^2}+t}{1-\frac{2t^2}{1-t^2}} \\ &\equiv \frac{2t+t-t^3}{1-t^2-2t^2} \\ &\equiv \frac{3t-t^3}{1-3t^3} \\ &\equiv \frac{3\tan \theta - \tan^3 \theta}{1 - 3 \tan^3 \theta} \end{align*} If \(\theta = \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt{5})\), then \(\sin \theta = 1/\sqrt{5}\) and \(\tan \theta = 1/2\). Hence \begin{align*} \tan 3 \theta &= \frac{3 \cdot \frac12 - \frac18}{1 - \frac34} \\ &= \frac{11}{2} \end{align*}

  1. Since \(\tan 3 y = 11/2\) has the solution \(y = \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt{5})\) it will also have the solutions \(y = \cos^{-1}(2/\sqrt{5}) + \frac{\pi}{3}\) and \(y = \cos^{-1}(2/\sqrt{5})+\frac{2\pi}{3}\), therefore \begin{align*} && \cos^{-1} x &= \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt{5})\\ \Rightarrow && x &= 2/\sqrt{5} \\ && \cos^{-1} x &= \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt{5}) + \frac{\pi}{3}\\ \Rightarrow && x &= \frac{2}{\sqrt{5}} \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{\sqrt{5}} \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \\ &&&= \frac{2-\sqrt{3}}{2\sqrt{5}} \\ && \cos^{-1} x &= \cos^{-1} (2/\sqrt{5}) + \frac{2\pi}{3}\\ \Rightarrow && x &= \frac{2}{\sqrt{5}} \left (-\frac{1}{2} \right)- \frac{1}{\sqrt{5}} \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} \\ &&&= \frac{-\sqrt{3}-2}{2\sqrt{5}} \\ \end{align*}
  2. Since \(\cos \frac13 x = \frac{2}{\sqrt{5}}\) has the solution \(x = \tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2}\) it will also have the solutions \(x = \tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2} + 2n \pi\) and \(x = -\tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2} + 2n \pi\). \begin{align*} && \tan^{-1} y &= \tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2} \\ \Rightarrow && y &= \frac{11}{2} \\ && \tan^{-1} y &= \tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2} + 2n \pi \\ \Rightarrow && y &= \frac{\frac{11}{2} + 0}{1-0} \\ &&&= \frac{11}{2} \\ && \tan^{-1} y &= -\tan^{-1} \frac{11}{2} + 2n \pi \\ \Rightarrow && y &= \frac{-\frac{11}{2} + 0}{1-0} \\ &&&= -\frac{11}{2} \\ \end{align*} So our two solutions are \(y = \pm \frac{11}{2}\)