Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus, 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1305071751
ISBN 13: 978-1-30507-175-9

Chapter 7 - Review - Exercises - Page 578: 42

Answer

$x=\dfrac{\pi}{4}, \dfrac{3\pi}{4},\dfrac{4\pi}{3}, \dfrac{2\pi}{3} $

Work Step by Step

Given: $\cos 3x+\cos 2x+\cos x=0$ This gives: $2 \cos (\dfrac{3x+x}{2})\cos(\dfrac{3x-x}{2})+\cos 2x=0$ or, $2 \cos (\dfrac{4x}{2})\cos(\dfrac{2x}{2})+\cos 2x=0$ or, $ 2 \cos 2x\cos x+\cos 2x=0$ or, $\cos 2x[1+2 \cos x]=0$ Either $\cos 2x=0$ or, $1+2 \cos x=0$ $\cos 2x=0 \implies x=\dfrac{\pi}{4}, \dfrac{3\pi}{4}$ or, $ \cos x=\dfrac{-1}{2} \implies x=\dfrac{4\pi}{3}, \dfrac{2\pi}{3} $
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