A Tricky Trigonometric Equation

For each integer \(n\), how many solutions are there with \( 0 \leq \theta \leq 2 \pi \) such that

cosθ+2cos2θ+3cos3θ++ncosnθ=n(n+1)2? \cos \theta + 2 \cos 2 \theta + 3 \cos 3 \theta + \ldots + n \cos n \theta = \frac{ n(n+1) } { 2} ?

(Your answer might depend on nn.)

#Geometry

Note by Calvin Lin
6 years, 8 months ago

No vote yet
1 vote

  Easy Math Editor

This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.

When posting on Brilliant:

  • Use the emojis to react to an explanation, whether you're congratulating a job well done , or just really confused .
  • Ask specific questions about the challenge or the steps in somebody's explanation. Well-posed questions can add a lot to the discussion, but posting "I don't understand!" doesn't help anyone.
  • Try to contribute something new to the discussion, whether it is an extension, generalization or other idea related to the challenge.
  • Stay on topic — we're all here to learn more about math and science, not to hear about your favorite get-rich-quick scheme or current world events.

MarkdownAppears as
*italics* or _italics_ italics
**bold** or __bold__ bold

- bulleted
- list

  • bulleted
  • list

1. numbered
2. list

  1. numbered
  2. list
Note: you must add a full line of space before and after lists for them to show up correctly
paragraph 1

paragraph 2

paragraph 1

paragraph 2

[example link](https://brilliant.org)example link
> This is a quote
This is a quote
    # I indented these lines
    # 4 spaces, and now they show
    # up as a code block.

    print "hello world"
# I indented these lines
# 4 spaces, and now they show
# up as a code block.

print "hello world"
MathAppears as
Remember to wrap math in \( ... \) or \[ ... \] to ensure proper formatting.
2 \times 3 2×3 2 \times 3
2^{34} 234 2^{34}
a_{i-1} ai1 a_{i-1}
\frac{2}{3} 23 \frac{2}{3}
\sqrt{2} 2 \sqrt{2}
\sum_{i=1}^3 i=13 \sum_{i=1}^3
\sin \theta sinθ \sin \theta
\boxed{123} 123 \boxed{123}

Comments

According To me Answer is : θ=0,2π\theta =\quad 0\quad ,\quad 2\pi .

Explanation

1nr=n(n+1)21+2+3+.....+n=n(n+1)2\sum _{ 1 }^{ n }{ r } =\frac { n(n+1) }{ 2 } \\ 1+2+3+\quad .\quad .\quad .\quad .\quad .\quad +n\quad =\frac { n(n+1) }{ 2 } \quad .

Now using the Fact That :

1nrcos(rθ)1nr(cos(rθ)1)\sum _{ 1 }^{ n }{ r\cos { (r\theta ) } } \quad \le \quad \sum _{ 1 }^{ n }{ r } \quad (\because \quad \cos { (r\theta ) } \quad \le \quad 1\quad ).

equality only occurs when

cos(rθ)=1r[1,n]rθ=0or2mπr[1,n](wheremI)inθ[0,2π]\cos { (r\theta ) } \quad =\quad 1\quad \quad \forall \quad r\quad \in \quad [1,n]\\ \Rightarrow \quad r\theta \quad =\quad 0\quad or\quad 2m\pi \quad \quad \forall \quad r\quad \in \quad [1,n]\quad \quad (where\quad m\quad \in \quad I)\\ \therefore \quad in\quad \quad \theta \quad \in \quad [0,2\pi ]\quad .

only possible solution are:

θ=0,2π\theta =\quad 0\quad ,\quad 2\pi . which satisfying above equality always

Deepanshu Gupta - 6 years, 8 months ago

2

Hint: Use the fact that cosϕ1\cos \phi \leq 1

jatin yadav - 6 years, 8 months ago

it's awesome!! :D

Aswad Hariri Mangalaeng - 6 years, 8 months ago
×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...