SOLUTION: By substituting x=2cosy into cos3y= 4cos^3y - 3cosy , show that the equation (x)^3 - 3x - 1 = 0 has roots 2cos20°, -2sin10° and -2cos40°

Algebra.Com
Question 1152914: By substituting x=2cosy into cos3y= 4cos^3y - 3cosy , show that the equation
(x)^3 - 3x - 1 = 0 has roots 2cos20°, -2sin10° and -2cos40°

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20060)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
By substituting x=2cosy into cos3y= 4cos^3y - 3cosy , show that the equation
(x)^3 - 3x - 1 = 0 has roots 2cos20, -2sin10 and -2cos40








So we substitute 



for the first two terms in



and get





We'll just get the answers for y in [0°,360°).
That means we get the answers for 3y in [0°,1080°)



Since x = 2cos(y),

and since cos(20°)=cos(340°), cos(140°)=cos(220°), and cos(100°)=cos(260°),

we only have 3 solutions for x,

2cos(20°), 2cos(100°), 2cos(140°)

The first solution is already in the given form.  The other two are not, so
we'll need to work on them. For the second solution, we use cos(θ) = sin(90°-θ),
and sin(-θ) = -sin(θ):

2cos(100°) = 2sin(90°-100°) = 2sin(-10°) = -2sin(10°) 

For the third solution, we use cos(θ) = -cos(180°-θ)

2cos(140°) = -2cos(180°-140°) = -2cos(40°) 

Edwin

RELATED QUESTIONS

Find the value of y for the given value of x by first substituting the value of x into... (answered by dyakobovitch)
Write an equation for a function with a graph that has two intercepts, (-2, 0) and (3,... (answered by josgarithmetic)
Solve The following equation that has 3 roots(solutions): x^3 - 3x^2 - 4x + 12 =... (answered by Edwin McCravy)
Please help~ If the equation kx^2+2x+28=k-x^2-6kx has equal roots, show that k=-9/10... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
Determine the number of roots of the equation. cosx° = 10/x which lie in the interval... (answered by richard1234)
Solve the equation.... (answered by stanbon,ikleyn)
Please help me solve this equation 1. Solve the following inequality for x: 3x^2 - 8x > (answered by Edwin McCravy)
f(x) = x^3 + (1 - k^2)x + k (a) Show that -k is a root of f. I've already solved this (answered by jsmallt9)
If the two roots of the equation: X^2+X-3=0 are M and N: a. Form the equation that has (answered by josgarithmetic,mananth,jim_thompson5910)