Precalculus Examples

Find the Equation with Real Coefficients 4cos(2x)^2-2=0 , x=pi/8
,
Step 1
Add to both sides of the equation.
Step 2
Divide each term in by and simplify.
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Step 2.1
Divide each term in by .
Step 2.2
Simplify the left side.
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Step 2.2.1
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 2.2.1.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 2.2.1.2
Divide by .
Step 2.3
Simplify the right side.
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Step 2.3.1
Cancel the common factor of and .
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Step 2.3.1.1
Factor out of .
Step 2.3.1.2
Cancel the common factors.
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Step 2.3.1.2.1
Factor out of .
Step 2.3.1.2.2
Cancel the common factor.
Step 2.3.1.2.3
Rewrite the expression.
Step 3
Take the specified root of both sides of the equation to eliminate the exponent on the left side.
Step 4
Simplify .
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Step 4.1
Rewrite as .
Step 4.2
Any root of is .
Step 4.3
Multiply by .
Step 4.4
Combine and simplify the denominator.
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Step 4.4.1
Multiply by .
Step 4.4.2
Raise to the power of .
Step 4.4.3
Raise to the power of .
Step 4.4.4
Use the power rule to combine exponents.
Step 4.4.5
Add and .
Step 4.4.6
Rewrite as .
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Step 4.4.6.1
Use to rewrite as .
Step 4.4.6.2
Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, .
Step 4.4.6.3
Combine and .
Step 4.4.6.4
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 4.4.6.4.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 4.4.6.4.2
Rewrite the expression.
Step 4.4.6.5
Evaluate the exponent.
Step 5
The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.
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Step 5.1
First, use the positive value of the to find the first solution.
Step 5.2
Next, use the negative value of the to find the second solution.
Step 5.3
The complete solution is the result of both the positive and negative portions of the solution.
Step 6
Set up each of the solutions to solve for .
Step 7
Solve for in .
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Step 7.1
Take the inverse cosine of both sides of the equation to extract from inside the cosine.
Step 7.2
Simplify the right side.
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Step 7.2.1
The exact value of is .
Step 7.3
Divide each term in by and simplify.
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Step 7.3.1
Divide each term in by .
Step 7.3.2
Simplify the left side.
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Step 7.3.2.1
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 7.3.2.1.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 7.3.2.1.2
Divide by .
Step 7.3.3
Simplify the right side.
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Step 7.3.3.1
Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.
Step 7.3.3.2
Multiply .
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Step 7.3.3.2.1
Multiply by .
Step 7.3.3.2.2
Multiply by .
Step 7.4
The cosine function is positive in the first and fourth quadrants. To find the second solution, subtract the reference angle from to find the solution in the fourth quadrant.
Step 7.5
Solve for .
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Step 7.5.1
Simplify.
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Step 7.5.1.1
To write as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by .
Step 7.5.1.2
Combine and .
Step 7.5.1.3
Combine the numerators over the common denominator.
Step 7.5.1.4
Multiply by .
Step 7.5.1.5
Subtract from .
Step 7.5.2
Divide each term in by and simplify.
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Step 7.5.2.1
Divide each term in by .
Step 7.5.2.2
Simplify the left side.
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Step 7.5.2.2.1
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 7.5.2.2.1.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 7.5.2.2.1.2
Divide by .
Step 7.5.2.3
Simplify the right side.
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Step 7.5.2.3.1
Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.
Step 7.5.2.3.2
Multiply .
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Step 7.5.2.3.2.1
Multiply by .
Step 7.5.2.3.2.2
Multiply by .
Step 7.6
Find the period of .
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Step 7.6.1
The period of the function can be calculated using .
Step 7.6.2
Replace with in the formula for period.
Step 7.6.3
The absolute value is the distance between a number and zero. The distance between and is .
Step 7.6.4
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 7.6.4.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 7.6.4.2
Divide by .
Step 7.7
The period of the function is so values will repeat every radians in both directions.
Step 8
Solve for in .
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Step 8.1
Take the inverse cosine of both sides of the equation to extract from inside the cosine.
Step 8.2
Simplify the right side.
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Step 8.2.1
The exact value of is .
Step 8.3
Divide each term in by and simplify.
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Step 8.3.1
Divide each term in by .
Step 8.3.2
Simplify the left side.
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Step 8.3.2.1
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 8.3.2.1.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 8.3.2.1.2
Divide by .
Step 8.3.3
Simplify the right side.
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Step 8.3.3.1
Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.
Step 8.3.3.2
Multiply .
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Step 8.3.3.2.1
Multiply by .
Step 8.3.3.2.2
Multiply by .
Step 8.4
The cosine function is negative in the second and third quadrants. To find the second solution, subtract the reference angle from to find the solution in the third quadrant.
Step 8.5
Solve for .
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Step 8.5.1
Simplify.
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Step 8.5.1.1
To write as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by .
Step 8.5.1.2
Combine and .
Step 8.5.1.3
Combine the numerators over the common denominator.
Step 8.5.1.4
Multiply by .
Step 8.5.1.5
Subtract from .
Step 8.5.2
Divide each term in by and simplify.
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Step 8.5.2.1
Divide each term in by .
Step 8.5.2.2
Simplify the left side.
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Step 8.5.2.2.1
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 8.5.2.2.1.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 8.5.2.2.1.2
Divide by .
Step 8.5.2.3
Simplify the right side.
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Step 8.5.2.3.1
Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.
Step 8.5.2.3.2
Multiply .
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Step 8.5.2.3.2.1
Multiply by .
Step 8.5.2.3.2.2
Multiply by .
Step 8.6
Find the period of .
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Step 8.6.1
The period of the function can be calculated using .
Step 8.6.2
Replace with in the formula for period.
Step 8.6.3
The absolute value is the distance between a number and zero. The distance between and is .
Step 8.6.4
Cancel the common factor of .
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Step 8.6.4.1
Cancel the common factor.
Step 8.6.4.2
Divide by .
Step 8.7
The period of the function is so values will repeat every radians in both directions.
Step 9
List all of the solutions.
Step 10
Consolidate the answers.
Step 11
Since the roots of an equation are the points where the solution is , set each root as a factor of the equation that equals .
Step 12
Simplify.
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Step 12.1
Expand by multiplying each term in the first expression by each term in the second expression.
Step 12.2
Simplify terms.
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Step 12.2.1
Simplify each term.
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Step 12.2.1.1
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.2
Combine and .
Step 12.2.1.3
Combine and .
Step 12.2.1.4
Multiply .
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Step 12.2.1.4.1
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.4.2
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.4.3
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.4.4
Raise to the power of .
Step 12.2.1.4.5
Raise to the power of .
Step 12.2.1.4.6
Use the power rule to combine exponents.
Step 12.2.1.4.7
Add and .
Step 12.2.1.4.8
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.5
Combine and .
Step 12.2.1.6
Multiply .
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Step 12.2.1.6.1
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.6.2
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.6.3
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.1.6.4
Raise to the power of .
Step 12.2.1.6.5
Raise to the power of .
Step 12.2.1.6.6
Use the power rule to combine exponents.
Step 12.2.1.6.7
Add and .
Step 12.2.1.6.8
Multiply by .
Step 12.2.2
Simplify terms.
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Step 12.2.2.1
Combine the numerators over the common denominator.
Step 12.2.2.2
Subtract from .
Step 12.2.3
Simplify each term.
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Step 12.2.3.1
Cancel the common factor of and .
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Step 12.2.3.1.1
Factor out of .
Step 12.2.3.1.2
Cancel the common factors.
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Step 12.2.3.1.2.1
Factor out of .
Step 12.2.3.1.2.2
Cancel the common factor.
Step 12.2.3.1.2.3
Rewrite the expression.
Step 12.2.3.2
Move the negative in front of the fraction.
Step 12.2.3.3
Move the negative in front of the fraction.