Science Of Sines

Geometry Level 3

Let a , b , c a,b,c be the angles made by a line L (passing through the origin) with the x , y , z x,y,z axes, respectively.

What is the value of sin 2 a + sin 2 b + sin 2 c \sin^{2} a + \sin^{2} b + \sin^{2} c ?

Hint : Direction cosine .


The answer is 2.

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3 solutions

Swapnil Das
Aug 26, 2016

From Direction Cosine Theorem, we get l 2 + m 2 + n 2 = 1. l^2 + m^2 + n^2 = 1. \ _\square , where l = cos a , m = cos b l=\cos a ,m=\cos b and n = cos c n=\cos c .

Using 1 l 2 = sin 2 a 1 m 2 = sin 2 b 1 n 2 = sin 2 c 1-{ l }^{ 2 }=\sin ^{ 2 }{ a } \\ 1-{ m }^{ 2 }=\sin ^{ 2 }{ b } \\ 1-{ n }^{ 2 }=\sin ^{ 2 }{ c }

We get sin 2 a + sin 2 b + sin 2 c = 2 \sin ^{ 2 }{ a } +\sin ^{ 2 }{b}+ { \sin ^{2 }{ c } } =2 .

We know, (cos(a))^2+(cos(b))^2+(cos(g))^2=1 => 3-( squares of sine of a,b,c)=1 =>(sin(a))^2+(sin(b))^2+(sin(g))^2=2

Roberto Gomide
Apr 27, 2018

It doesn't really proof,but if you assume that this is always true no matter the position of the line,you can just make the calculation based on the line being one of the axes.Thus,the case that the angles are 0,90,90

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