SOLUTION: find the exact value of cos theta/2 if sec theta=4 and theta lies in quadrant 1

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Question 320808: find the exact value of cos theta/2 if sec theta=4 and theta lies in quadrant 1
Found 2 solutions by solver91311, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Hard tellin'

I can't figure out whether you want the value of or


John


Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


If you want cos%28theta%29%2F2 then since cos%28theta%29=1%2Fsec%28theta%29=1%2F4, then cos%28theta%29%2F2%22=%22%281%2F4%29%2F2=%281%2F4%29%2A%281%2F2%29=1%2F8

But I think you want cos%28theta%2F2%29.  You need to put parentheses
so we can tell what you want.

We use the half-angle formula:

cos%28theta%2F2%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%28%281%2Bcos%28theta%29%29%2F2%29

Now cos%28theta%29%22=%221%2Fsec%28theta%29%22=%221%2F4

So 

cos%28theta%2F2%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%28%281%2Bcos%28theta%29%29%2F2%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%28%281%2B1%2F4%29%2F2%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%284%2A%281%2B1%2F4%29%2F%284%2A2%29%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%28%284%2B1%29%2F8%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%285%2F8%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%28%285%2A2%29%2F%288%2A2%29%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%2810%2F16%29%22=%22%22%22+%2B-+sqrt%2810%29%2F4

Now we can determine the sign by realizing that since theta is in
quadrant I, that half of it, theta%2F2, will also be in the first quadrant,
and in quadrant I, and all trig functions of angles in quadrant I are positive.

So we have

cos%28theta%2F2%29%22=%22sqrt%2810%29%2F4

Edwin