Number of solutions to sin x + 2 sin 2 x − sin 3 x = 3 ∀ x ∈ ( 0 , π ) is
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I am sorry but you used a wrong expression for sin3x????? So your solution is wrong.
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Edit: Sorry for the error. Thanks for correcting the solution!
The expression is correct. You should review the Triple Angle Identity .
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He was correct in pointing out a mistake I made before making my edits. I made a mess of my solution on the first attempt and I don't like my present version either, but at least I think it is error-free now.
Another way to deal with f ( x ) is to write it as
f ( x ) = 2 cos x + 4 ( 1 − cos 2 x ) − 2 = 2 + 2 cos x − 4 cos 2 x = 2 + 2 y − 4 y 2
Then, the maximum occurs when y = − 2 × ( − 4 ) 2 .
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Thanks for this note; my f ( x ) has changed now with my edits, but your approach gave me the necessary guidance to find a solution free of any WolframAlpha assistance. :)
Now everything is OK.
As to the wrong answer in "my" answer that happened due to my grand-son who didn't want to think and simply tried to guess clicking the answer space. This is really a very old and rather good problem.
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Haha. Maybe that will teach your grandson to think a bit more next time and not resort to guessing. :) Thanks again for pointing out my mistake; I'm glad that everything is o.k. now.
Thank you all.
Since the max value of sin x is 1, therefore the individual sin expressions must be equal to 1 to give 3 on RHS.
But then we see that sin 3x doesn't equal -1 (because it has to add up) in the given domain. So that leaves the possibility of 2 sin 2x being equal to 2 and sin x being equal to 1, for which there is no common solution.
Hence, no. of solutions = 0.
What do you mean by "The individual sin expressions"?
I disagree with your solution.
Why can't sin 3 x be negative, which means that we do not need sin x + 2 sin 2 x = 3 ?
Wow! Its really nice to see such a nice and easy analytical solution! Upvoted!
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Thank you for your kind words. I believe most of the students preparing for competitive exams would follow that method. Saves time.
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nice one ..........................................
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Using the identities
sin ( 2 x ) = 2 sin ( x ) cos ( x ) and
sin ( 3 x ) = 3 sin ( x ) − 4 sin 3 ( x ) , the equation becomes
sin ( x ) + 4 sin ( x ) cos ( x ) − 3 sin ( x ) + 4 sin 3 ( x ) = 3
⟹ 4 sin ( x ) cos ( x ) + 4 sin 3 ( x ) − 2 sin ( x ) = 3 .
Now let f ( x ) = 4 sin ( x ) cos ( x ) + 4 sin 3 ( x ) − 2 sin ( x ) . We can rewrite f ( x ) as
2 sin ( x ) ( 2 cos ( x ) + 2 sin 2 ( x ) − 1 ) = 2 sin ( x ) ( − 2 cos 2 ( x ) + 2 cos ( x ) + 1 ) = 2 sin ( x ) ( − 2 ( cos ( x ) − 2 1 ) 2 + 2 3 ) ,
which can only equal 3 when sin ( x ) = 1 and cos ( x ) = 2 1 . Since these conditions can't coexist, we can conclude that f ( x ) < 3 for all x on the given interval, and hence there are no solutions to the original equation.