Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2015

Algebra Difficulty 2.4 Junior Find the answer Canada

If cos60=cos45cosθ\cos 60^\circ = \cos 45^\circ \cos\theta with 0θ900^\circ \leq \theta \leq 90^\circ, then θ\theta equals

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Solution

Since cos60=12\cos60^\circ = \frac{1}{2} and cos45=12\cos 45^\circ = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}, then the given equation cos60=cos45cosθ\cos 60^\circ = \cos 45^\circ \cos \theta becomes 12=12cosθ\frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\cos \theta.

Therefore, cosθ=22=12\cos \theta = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}.

Since 0θ900^\circ \leq \theta \leq 90^\circ, then θ=45\theta = 45^\circ.

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Source: CEMC, University of Waterloo, licensed CC-BY-NC-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.