( 1+ cot(\theta )- csc(\theta ) )( 1- tan(\theta )+ sec(\theta ) )= 2 ?

1 Answer
Feb 17, 2018

The solution to Equation=2
is
theta=pi/2 (modulo 2 pi).

HOWEVER, I REALLY THINK THERE IS A MISTAKE IN THE EQUATION AS THINGS WOULD CANCEL OUT NICELY IF THE EQUATION IS THE FOLLOWING:
Equation=(1 + cot(theta) - csc(theta))(1+tan(theta)+sec(theta))

(should be +tan(theta) instead of -tan(theta)).

Explanation:

Since the question is vague, I would just try to simplify the equation a bit first.
We start with:
Equation=(1 + cot(theta) - csc(theta))(1-tan(theta)+sec(theta))

and rewrite everything in terms of sine and cosine:
=(1+cos(theta)/sin(theta) - 1/sin(theta)) (1-sin(theta)/cos(theta) + 1/cos(theta))

Simplify a bit more:
=(1+ (cos(theta) - 1)/(sin(theta))) (1+(1-sin(theta))/(cos(theta)))

Opening up the parentheses:
=1+(1-sin(theta))/(cos(theta))+(cos(theta) -1)/(sin(theta))+((cos(theta)-1)(1-sin(theta)))/(sin(theta)cos(theta))

And putting everything under the same denominator gives:
=(sin(theta)cos(theta)+sin(theta)(1-sin(theta))+cos(theta)(cos(theta)-1)+(cos(theta)-1)(1-sin(theta)))/(sin(theta) cos(theta))

Now, we look just at the numerator:
=sin(theta)cos(theta)+sin(theta)-sin^2(theta)+cos^2(theta)-cos(theta)+cos(theta)-sin(theta)cos(theta)-1+sin(theta)
=2sin(theta) -sin^2(theta) + cos^2(theta)-1
=2sin(theta)-sin^2(theta)+cos^2(theta)-sin^2(theta)-cos^2(theta)
=2sin(theta)(1-sin(theta))

Now, back to the equation:
Equation=(2sin(theta)(1-sin(theta)))/(sin(theta) cos(theta))
So,
Equation=2((1-sin(theta)))/(cos(theta))

Now, let's solve for theta when Equation =2
This happens when (1-sin(theta))/(cos(theta))=1
i.e.
1-sin(theta)=cos(theta)
i.e.
sin(theta)+cos(theta)=1
This only happens when either sin(theta)=1 and cos(theta)=0
when theta=pi/2 (modulo 2pi)
or when sin(theta)=0 and cos(theta)=1 when theta=0 (modulo 2pi).
Since Equation =2((1-sin(theta)))/(cos(theta)), cos(theta) cannot be 0 and
thus the solution to Equation=2
is
theta=pi/2 (modulo 2 pi).

HOWEVER, I REALLY THINK THERE IS A MISTAKE IN THE EQUATION AS THINGS WOULD CANCEL OUT NICELY IF THE EQUATION IS THE FOLLOWING:
Equation=(1 + cot(theta) - csc(theta))(1+tan(theta)+sec(theta))
(+tan(theta) instead of -tan(theta)).
Then, the equation is indeed 2 for all theta.