How do you use the quadratic formula to solve 12sin^2x-13sinx+3=0 in the interval [0,2pi)?

2 Answers
May 26, 2017

The solutions are S={0.34,0.848,2.294,2.802}rd

Explanation:

Our equation is

12sin^2x-13sinx+3=0

The quadratic equation is

ax^2+bx+c=0

We start by calculating the discriminant

Delta=b^2-4ac=(-13)^2-4*(12)*(3)

=169-144=25

As,

Delta>0, there are 2 real solutions

So,

The solutions are

x=(-b+-sqrtDelta)/(2a)

sinx=((13)+-5)/24

sinx=18/24=3/4 or sinx=8/24=1/3

The values of x are

x=arcsin(3/4) and arcsin(1/3)

x=0.848rd, x=2.294rd, x=0.34rd and x=2.802rd

May 26, 2017

x~~0.3398, x~~0.8481, x=2.294, and x=2.802 radians.

Explanation:

Strategy: Rewrite this equation as a quadratic equation using u=sin(x). Solve the quadratic equation for u by factoring. Then replace u with sin(x) again and solve using arcsin.

Step 1. Rewrite this equation as a quadratic using color(red)u=color(red)sin(x)

You are given
12(color(red)(sin(x)))^2-13(color(red)(sin(x)))+3=0

Replace color(red)(sin(x)) with color(red)(u)
12color(red)(u)^2-13color(red)(u)+3=0

Step 2. Factor the quadratic equation.
(3u-1)(4u-3)=0

Solving gives us
3u-1=0 and 4u-3=0
u=1/3 and u=3/4

Step 3. Replace u with sin(x) again and solve with arcsin
sin(x)=1/3 and sin(x)=3/4

sin^(-1)(sin(x))=sin^(-1)(1/3) and sin^(-1)(sin(x))=sin^(-1)(3/4)

x~~0.3398 radians and x~~0.8481 radians

These answer work because we were asked to find the solutions in [0,2pi]~~[0,6.2832]

However, the graph of y=12(sin(x))^2-13(sin(x))+3 is

![Desmos.com and MS Paint](useruploads.socratic.org)

Which shows four solutions in the interval [0,2pi], not two.

We must find the other solutions by recognizing that sine functions are periodic with respect to pi

So, x=pi-0.8481=2.294 and x=pi-0.3398=2.802

The other two solutions are
x=2.294 and x=2.802