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Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it Croatia

Solve sinxcos2xcos4x=1\sin x \cdot \cos 2x \cdot \cos 4x = 1.

Solution

We have sinx1|\sin x| \leq 1, cos2x1|\cos 2x| \leq 1, cos4x1|\cos 4x| \leq 1. The product sinxcos2xcos4x\sin x \cdot \cos 2x \cdot \cos 4x can only be 11 if each factor is 11 or 1-1, and their product is 11.

But sinx=1|\sin x| = 1 only when sinx=1\sin x = 1 or sinx=1\sin x = -1.

Case 1: sinx=1\sin x = 1
Then x=π2+2kπx = \dfrac{\pi}{2} + 2k\pi, kZk \in \mathbb{Z}.

At x=π2x = \dfrac{\pi}{2}:
cos2x=cos(π)=1\cos 2x = \cos(\pi) = -1
cos4x=cos(2π)=1\cos 4x = \cos(2\pi) = 1
So sinxcos2xcos4x=1(1)1=11\sin x \cdot \cos 2x \cdot \cos 4x = 1 \cdot (-1) \cdot 1 = -1 \neq 1

Case 2: sinx=1\sin x = -1
Then x=3π2+2kπx = \dfrac{3\pi}{2} + 2k\pi, kZk \in \mathbb{Z}.

At x=3π2x = \dfrac{3\pi}{2}:
cos2x=cos(3π)=1\cos 2x = \cos(3\pi) = -1
cos4x=cos(6π)=1\cos 4x = \cos(6\pi) = 1
So sinxcos2xcos4x=(1)(1)1=1\sin x \cdot \cos 2x \cdot \cos 4x = (-1) \cdot (-1) \cdot 1 = 1

Therefore, all solutions are x=3π2+2kπx = \dfrac{3\pi}{2} + 2k\pi, kZk \in \mathbb{Z}.

Answer: x=3π2+2kπx = \dfrac{3\pi}{2} + 2k\pi, kZk \in \mathbb{Z}.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.