TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS
AS Unit 1: Pure Mathematics A

WJEC past paper questions: 2010 – 2017

Total marks available 139 (approximately 2 hour 45 minutes)

1. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

3 − 7 cos 𝜃 = 6sin2 𝜃 . (5)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

tan(2𝑥 + 45°) = 0.7. (3)

c) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

4 tan 𝜃 cos 𝜃 + 1 = 0 . (3)

(January 10)

2. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

12 cos 2 𝜃 − 5 sin 𝜃 = 10 . (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

tan(2𝑥) = −1.6 . (2)

c) Find all values of ∅ in the range 0° ≤ ∅ ≤ 180° satisfying

tan ∅ +2sin ∅ = 0 . (4)

(Summer 10)

3. a) Find all values of 𝜃 between 0° and 360° satisfying

7sin2 𝜃 + 1 = 3cos2 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 . (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 between 0° and 180° satisfying

cos(2𝑥 + 25°) = −0.454 . (3)

(January 11)

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4. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

sin 𝜃 + 12cos 2 𝜃 = 6 . (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

cos(2𝑥 − 35°) = 0.891 . (3)

c) Find all values of ∅ in the range 0° ≤ ∅ ≤ 360° satisfying

sin ∅ + cos ∅ = 0 . (3)

(Summer 11)

5. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

10 sin2 𝜃 + 7 cos 𝜃 = 5cos2 𝜃 + 8. (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 360° satisfying

sin(𝑥 − 50°) = −0.682 . (3)

c) Without carrying out any calculations, explain why there are no values of ∅ which
satisfy the equation

sin ∅ + cos ∅ = 3 . (1)

(January 12)

6. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

10 cos 2 𝜃 + 3 cos 𝜃 = 4 sin2 𝜃 − 2 . (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

sin(3𝑥 − 21°) = −0.809. (3)

c) Find all values of ∅ in the range 0° ≤ ∅ ≤ 360° satisfying

cos ∅ −5sin ∅ = 0 . (3)

(Summer 12)

7. a) Find all values of 𝜃 between 0° and 360° satisfying

7sin2 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 = 3cos2 𝜃 . (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 between 0° and 180° satisfying

tan(3𝑥 − 20°) = 1.28 . (4)

(January 13)

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 TRIGONOMETRIC EQUATIONS

8. a) i) Show that the equation

6 cos 𝜃 +5tan 𝜃 = 0

may be rewritten in the form

6sin2 𝜃 − 5 sin 𝜃 − 6 = 0 .

ii) Hence find all the values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying the equation
6 cos 𝜃 +5tan 𝜃 = 0 . (7)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

cos(2𝑥 − 60°) = 0.788 . (3)

(Summer 13)

9. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

8 cos 2 𝜃 − 7 sin2 𝜃 = 4 cos 𝜃 − 3 . (6)

b) The angles X, Y and Z are the three angles of a triangle. Given that tan 𝑋 = −2.246
and that tan(𝑌 − 𝑍) = 0.364, find the values of X, Y and Z. Give each angle correct to
the nearest degree. (4)

(January 14)

10. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

4 cos 2 𝜃 + 1 = 4 sin2 𝜃 − 2 cos 𝜃 . (6)

b) The angle ∝ satisfies

1
sin(∝ +40°) = √
2

√3
and sin(∝ −35°) =
2

Given that 0° <∝< 180°, find the value of ∝. (3)

c) Find all values of ∅ in the range 0° ≤ ∅ ≤ 360° satisfying

7 10
− =0 (3)
cos ∅ sin ∅

(Summer 14)

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11. a) Show that there is no angle 𝜃 which satisfies the equation

4 cos2 𝜃 − 2 sin2 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 + 8 = 0
giving a mathematical reason to explain how you came to your conclusion. (4)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

sin(2𝑥 − 75°) = −0.515. (3)

c) Find all values of ∅ in the range 0° ≤ ∅ ≤ 180° satisfying

4 tan ∅ +7sin ∅ = 0 . (4)

(Summer 15)

12. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

6 sin2 𝜃 + 1 = 2(cos2 𝜃 − sin 𝜃). (6)

b) Find all values of 𝑥 in the range 0° ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 180° satisfying

tan(3𝑥 − 57°) = −0.81 . (4)

c) Without carrying out any calculations, explain why there are no values of ∅ which
satisfy the equation

2sin ∅ + 4 cos ∅ = −7 (1)

(Summer 16)

13. a) Find all values of 𝜃 in the range 0° ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 360° satisfying

sin2 𝜃 + 6cos 2 𝜃 + 13 sin 𝜃 = 0. (5)
b) The angles A, B and C are the three angles of a triangle.
Given that cos 𝐴 = −0.342 and that tan(𝐵 − 𝐶) = 0.404, find the values of A, B and C.
Give each angle correct to the nearest degree. (4)
(Summer 17)

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