The problem says:
If 450∘<α<540∘ and cotα=−724, calculate cosα2
I solved it in the following way: −724=−√1+cos2α1−cos2α49576=1+cos2α1−cos2α625cos2α=5272cos2α−1=527625cosα=−2425, therefore, cosα2=√1−24252=√150=√210. But there is not such an answer:
A) 0.6
B) 45
C) −45
D) −0.6
E) 0.96
I have checked the evaluating process several times. While I believe that my answer is correct and there is a mistake in the choices, I want to hear from you.
Answer
72242=1+cos2α1−cos2α⟹ ⟹72(1−cosα)=242(1+cosα)⟹ ⟹72−72cos2α=242+242cos2α⟹ ⟹72−242=(72+242)cos2α=252cos2α⟹ ⟹−527=625cos2α.
The missing negative sign on the LHS of the above line is your first error.
Your second error is writing cosα2=√1+cosα2. We have |cosα2|=√1+cosα2..... If 450o<α<340o then 225o<α2<270o, implying cosα2<0.
In general if cotx=ab then the proportion of cos2x to sin2x is a2 to b2, so let cos2x=a2y and sin2x=b2y. Since 1=cos2x+sin2x, we have y=a2+b2, so cos2x=a2a2+b2 and sin2x=b2a2+b2 and therefore |cosx|=|a|√a2+b2 and |sinx|=|b|√a2+b2.
So if cotα=−724 and cosα<0 then cosα=−7√72+242=−725.
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