MEI Core 4

Trigonometry
Chapter Assessment
1. Find all of the angles between 0° and 360° such that
(i) sec x = 2.5 [3]
(ii) cosec x = -1.5 [3]

2. Solve the equation sec 2 x + tan x = 1 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π [5]

3. Solve the equation sin( x + 30°) = 2 cos( x + 45)° for 0° ≤ x ≤ 360° . [5]

4. If 4 cos 2 x − 2 cos x + 1 = 0 , find values for θ in the range 0° ≤ x ≤ 360° . [6]

5. Write 3cos θ + 5sin θ in the form R cos(θ − α ) where R > 0 and 0° < α < 90° , and
hence solve the equation 3cos θ + 5sin θ = 2 in the range 0° ≤ x ≤ 360° . [8]

sin 2 x − cos 2 x + 1
6. Prove that ≡ tan x . [5]
sin 2 x + cos 2 x + 1

7. (i) Write sin 3x in terms of sin x. [4]

(ii) Solve sin 3x = sin 2 x for 0° ≤ x ≤ 180°. [4]

8. (i) Prove that 4 ( sin 4 x + cos 4 x ) ≡ cos 4 x + 3 [6]

(ii) Solve the equation sin 4 x + cos 4 x = 0.5 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π . [4]

9. Find the minimum value of the expression

4 cos x − 3sin x − 4 .
Give the smallest possible positive value of x for which this minimum value
occurs. [7]

Total 60 marks

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 MEI C4 Trigonometry Assessment solutions

Solutions to Chapter Assessment

1. (i) sec x = 2.5
cos x = 0.2
x = 78.5° or 281.3°
[3]
(ii) cosec x = −1.5
sin x = − 23
x = 221.8° or 318.2°
[3]

2. sec 2 x + tan x = 1
1 + tan 2 x + tan x = 1
tan 2 x + tan x = 0
tan x(tan x + 1) = 0
tan x = 0 or − 1
tan x = 0 ⇒ x = 0, π , 2π
3π 7 π
tan x = −1 ⇒ x = ,
4 4
3π 7π
x = 0, ,π , , 2π
4 4
[5]

3. sin( x + 30°) = 2 cos( x + 45 )°

sin x cos 30° + cos x sin 30° = 2 cos x cos 45° − 2 sin x sin 45°
3 1 2 2 2 2
sin x + cos x = cos x − sin x
2 2 2 2
3 sin x + cos x = 2 2 cos x − 2 2 sin x
( 3 + 2 2 ) sin x = ( 2 2 − 1 ) cos x
2 2 −1
tan x =
3 +2 2
x = 21.8° or 201.8°
[5]

© MEI, 07/01/09 2/5

 MEI C4 Trigonometry Assessment solutions
4. 4cos 2 x − 2 cos x + 1 = 0
4(2 cos 2 x − 1) − 2 cos x + 1 = 0
8 cos 2 x − 4 − 2 cos x + 1 = 0
8 cos 2 x − 2 cos x − 3 = 0
(4cos x − 3)(2 cos x + 1) = 0
cos x = 3
4 or − 21
cos x = 3
4 ⇒ x = 41.4° or 318.6°
cos x = − 21 ⇒ x = 120° or 240°
x = 41.4° or 120° or 240° or 318.6° .
[6]

5. 3 cos θ + 5 sin θ = R cos(θ − α )

= R cos θ cos α + R sin θ sin α R
R cos α = 3 5
R sin α = 5
α
R 2 = 3 2 + 5 2 = 34 ⇒ R = 34 3
tan α = 5
3 ⇒ 59.04°
3 cos θ + 5 sin θ = 34 cos(θ − 59.04°)

3 cos θ + 5 sin θ = 2
34 cos(θ − 59.04°) = 2
2
cos(θ − 59.04°) =
34
θ − 59.04° = 69.64° or 290.06°
θ = 128.7° or 349.1°
[8]

sin 2 x − cos 2 x + 1
6. L.H.S. ≡
sin 2 x + cos 2 x + 1 Using the double angle
2 sin x cos x + 2 sin 2 x formula, 1 − cos 2 x = 2cos 2 x
≡ and 1 + cos 2 x = 2sin 2 x
2 sin x cos x + 2 cos 2 x
sin x( cos x + sin x )
≡
cos x( sin x + cos x )
sin x
≡
cos x
≡ tan x
[5]

© MEI, 07/01/09 3/5

 MEI C4 Trigonometry Assessment solutions
7. (i) sin 3 x = sin(2 x + x )
= sin 2 x cos x + cos 2 x sin x
= 2 sin x cos x cos x + (1 − 2 sin 2 x )sin x
= 2 sin x(1 − sin 2 x ) + sin x − 2 sin 3 x
= 2 sin x − 2 sin 3 x + sin x − 2 sin 3 x
= 3 sin x − 4 sin 3 x
[4]
(ii) sin 3 x = sin x 2

3 sin x − 4 sin 3 x = sin 2 x

4 sin 3 x + sin 2 x − 3 sin x = 0
sin x(4 sin 2 x + sin x − 3) = 0
sin x(4 sin x − 3)(sin x + 1) = 0
sin x = 0 or 43 or − 1
sin x = 0 ⇒ x = 0° or 180° or 360°
sin x = 3
4 ⇒ x = 48.6° or 131.4°
sin x = −1 ⇒ x = 270°
x = 0°,48.6°,131.4°,180°,270°,360°
[4]

8. (i) L.H.S. ≡ 4 ( sin 4 x + cos 4 x )

≡ ( 2 sin 2 x ) + ( 2 cos 2 x )
2 2

≡ ( 1 − cos 2 x )2 + (1 + cos 2 x )2
≡ 1 − 2 cos 2 x + cos 2 2 x + 1 + 2 cos 2 x + cos 2 2 x
≡ 2 + 2 cos 2 2 x
≡ 2 + cos 4 x + 1
≡ cos 4 x + 3
= R.H.S.
[6]
(ii) sin x + cos x = 0.5
4 4

4 ( sin 4 x + cos 4 x ) = 2
cos 4 x + 3 = 2 using result from (i)
cos 4 x = −1
4 x = π , 3π , 5 π , 7 π
π 3π 5 π 7 π
x= , , ,
4 4 4 4
[4]

© MEI, 07/01/09 4/5

 MEI C4 Trigonometry Assessment solutions
9. 4cos x − 3 sin x = R cos( x + α )
= R cos x cos α − R sin x sin α
4 = R cos α
3 = R sin α
R 2 = 42 + 3 2 = 25 ⇒R = 5
tan α = 3
4 ⇒ 36.9°

4cos x − 3 sin x − 4 = 5 cos( x + 36.9°) − 4

The minimum value of the expression is −5 − 4 = −9 .
This occurs when x + 36.9° = 270° ⇒ x = 233.1°
[7]

© MEI, 07/01/09 5/5