Trigonometric Equations (Edexcel International A Level (IAL) Maths: Pure 2): Exam Questions

Exam code: YMA01

3 hours36 questions
1a
2 marks

Work out the length of the missing side in the following right-angled triangle.

Right-angled triangle with sides 12 cm and 13 cm, angle θ at the base, marked "Not to scale."
1b
3 marks

Using your answer from part (a) to help, write down the values of the following:

(i) sin θ

(ii) cos θ

(iii) tan θ

2
2 marks

Show that

1−cos2 xtan2 x≡cos2 x

3
3 marks

Solve the equation

sin x=12,  0°≤x≤360°

4a
2 marks

Solve the equation x2+x−2=0.

4b
2 marks

Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation cos2 x+cos x−2=0 for 0°≤x≤720°.

5
3 marks

Solve the equation tan 2θ=0.3 for −180°≤θ≤180°, giving your answers to one decimal place.

6a
2 marks

Sketch the graph of y=cos 2x for 0≤x≤2π.

6b
2 marks

Solve the equation cos 2x=0.5 for 0≤x≤2π.

7
4 marks

Solve the equation 2(1−cos2 θ)=1 for −π≤θ≤π.

8
4 marks

Solve the equation 4−4sin2 θ=3 for 0°≤θ≤180°.

9
4 marks

Find all the solutions to the equation 2 sin θ=3 for −2π≤θ≤2π.

1a
4 marks

Find all solutions to the equation cos θ=12 in the interval −2π≤θ≤2π, giving your answers in radians as multiples of π.

1b
6 marks

Find all solutions to the equation 5 sin 3x=1 in the interval 0≤x≤π , giving your answer in radians to three significant figures.

2a
2 marks

Show that the equation 2 sin2 x+3 cos x=0 can be written in the forma cos2 x+b cos x+c=0, where a, b and c are integers to be found.

2b
3 marks

Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation 2 sin2 x+3 cos x=0 for−180°≤x≤180°.

3
3 marks

Given that sin θ=35find the possible values of cos θ and tan θ.

4
3 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin 2θ=1 for 0≤θ≤2π.

5
5 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin x=1sin xfor 0°≤x≤360°.

6
6 marks

A right-angled triangle has hypotenuse 8 cm. One of its other sides is 5 cm.

Find exact values for sin θ,cos θ and tan θ, where θ is the smallest angle in the triangle.

7
5 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin x cos x=cos x for −π≤x≤π.

8a
2 marks

Show that (x+1)(x−2)(x−3)≡x3−4x2+x+6.

8b
5 marks

Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation tan3 x−4 tan2 x+tan x+6=0 for 0°≤x≤360°, giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate.

9a
2 marks

A seagull sits on the surface of the sea and moves up and down as waves pass.

Its height, h metres, above its position in calm water is modelled by the functionh=12sin(180t) where t is the time in seconds after timing commences.

Sketch a graph of h against t for 0≤t≤10 showing the coordinates of the points of intersection with the taxis.

9b
1 mark

How many times in the first minute after timing commences is the seagull 0.25 metres above its calm water position?

9c
3 marks

Find the time at which the seagull is first 0.25 m above its calm water position and moving downwards. Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

1
3 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin θ=3 cos θ for 0≤θ≤2π, giving your answers to 3 significant figures.

2
5 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin2 θ=cos θ+1for −180°≤θ≤180°.

3
3 marks

Given that the angle θ is obtuse and that sin θ=34,find the exact value of cos θ.

4
5 marks

Solve the equation tan 2x=3tan 2x for −180°≤x≤180°.

5
5 marks

Solve the equation 2 tan x−sin x=0 for −π≤x≤π.

6
6 marks

An isosceles triangle has sides 8 cm, 8 cm and 4 cm and equal base angles θ.

Find exact values for sin θ, cos θ and tan θ.

7a
4 marks

Find all the solutions to the equation 3tan 2 θ=−1 in the interval −π≤θ≤π, giving your answers in radians as multiples of π.

7b
5 marks

Find all the solutions to the equation 6 sin2 x+7 sin x−3=0 in the interval 0≤x≤2π, giving your answers in radians to three significant figures.

8a
1 mark

Show that x=12 satisfies the equation 8x3−4x2−6x+3=0.

8b
6 marks

Hence solve the equation 8 cos3 x−4 cos2 x−6 cos x+3=0 for 0°≤x≤360°.

9a
4 marks

A seagull sits on the surface of the sea and moves up and down as waves pass.

Its height, h metres, above its position in calm water is modelled by the functionh=25sin(180t)° where t is the time in seconds after timing commenced.

Find the first time the seagull is 0.3 metres above its calm water position.
Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

9b
2 marks

How many times in the first minute after timing commences is the seagull 0.3 metres above its calm water position?

1
3 marks

Solve the equation 3 sin 3θ=4 cos 3θ in the interval 0≤θ≤π, giving your answers to 3 significant figures.

2
5 marks

Solve the equation 6 cos2 2θ=sin 2θ+5 for −180°≤θ≤180°, giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate.

3
3 marks

Given that the angle θ is reflex and that cos θ=13, find the exact value of tan θ.

4
5 marks

Solve the equation 2 sin2 3x=1 for −π2≤x≤π2.

5
5 marks

Solve the equation 3 sin(2x+30°)=tan(2x+30°) for −180°≤x≤180°, giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate.

6
6 marks

For the triangle in the diagram find exact values for sin x,cos x and tan x.

Right-angled triangle with sides 8 cm and 7 cm, hypotenuse 12 cm, and angle x opposite the 7 cm side. Diagram not to scale.
7
6 marks

Find all the values of x in the range 0°≤x≤180° which satisfy the equation 6 tan3 2x−7 tan2 2x−tan 2x+2=0, giving your answers to 1 decimal place.

8a
6 marks

Find all the solutions to the equation 2 cos 2θ=4 sin 2θ cos 2θ in the interval 0≤θ≤2π, giving your answers in radians as multiples of π.

8b
6 marks

Find all the solutions to the equation 3 cos2 4x+13 cos 4x−10=0 in the interval 0≤x≤π, giving your answers in radians to three significant figures.

9
7 marks

A seagull sits on the surface of the sea and moves up and down as waves pass.

Its height, h metres, above its position in calm water is modelled by the functionh=35sin(90t)° where t is the time in seconds after timing commences.

Find the amount of time the seagull is more than 0.5 metres above its calm water position in the first 20 seconds after timing commences.

Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.