Reduced Value of Cosine

Geometry Level 3

How many solutions of θ \theta with 0 < θ < 90 0<\theta<90 which is satisfy the equation

( 1 + cos θ ) ( 1 + cos 2 θ ) ( 1 + cos 4 θ ) = 1 8 (1+\cos\theta)(1+\cos2\theta)(1+\cos4\theta)=\frac{1}{8}

instead?


The answer is 3.

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1 solution

Lab Bhattacharjee
Mar 29, 2014

As ( 1 cos x ) ( 1 + cos x ) = sin 2 x = 1 cos 2 x 2 , 1 + cos x = 1 cos 2 x 2 ( 1 cos x ) (1-\cos x)(1+\cos x)=\sin^2x=\dfrac{1-\cos2x}2, 1+\cos x=\dfrac{1-\cos2x}{2(1-\cos x)} if 1 cos x 0 1-\cos x\ne0

Set x = θ , 2 θ , 4 θ x=\theta, 2\theta, 4\theta one by one to find 1 cos 8 θ = 1 cos θ cos 8 θ = cos θ 8 θ = 36 0 n ± θ 1-\cos8\theta=1-\cos\theta\implies \cos8\theta=\cos\theta\implies8\theta=360^\circ n \pm\theta where n is any integer

Taking the '+' sign, 7 θ = 36 0 n θ = 36 0 n 7 7\theta=360^\circ n\iff \theta=\dfrac{360^\circ n}7

Now we need 0 < 36 0 n 7 < 90 0 < n < 7 4 n = 1 0<\dfrac{360^\circ n}7<90\iff 0< n<\dfrac74\implies n=1 as n is an integer

Similarly deal with '-' sign to find 2 more solutions

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