Given an angle θ, consider the polynomial P(x)=sin(θ)x2+cos(θ)x+tan(θ)x+1. Given that P only has one real root, find all possible values of sin(θ).
A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.
Solution
Note that if sin(θ)=0, then the polynomial has 1 root. Now assume this is not the case then the polynomial is a quadratic in x. Factor the polynomial as (tan(θ)x+1)(x+sec(θ)). Then the condition is equivalent to sec(θ)=tan(θ)1, which is equivalent to sin(θ)=cos2(θ)=1−sin2(θ). Solving now gives sin(θ)=25−1 as the only solution.
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