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NCERT Exemplar · Q11

Q.Solve the following equation cos⁡(tan⁡−1x)=sin⁡(cot⁡−134)\cos(\tan^{-1}x)=\sin\left(\cot^{-1}\frac{3}{4}\right).

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Right-triangle geometry turns the equation into cos⁡(tan⁡−1x)=1x2+1=45\cos(\tan^{-1}x)=\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2+1}}=\frac{4}{5}, giving x=±34x=\pm\frac{3}{4}.

The idea

Whenever a trig function wraps an inverse trig function, draw a right triangle for the inner angle and read off the outer ratio. This converts the equation into ordinary algebra.

Step 1 — Simplify the right-hand side

Let θ=cot⁡−134\theta=\cot^{-1}\frac{3}{4}, so cot⁡θ=34=adjacentopposite\cot\theta=\frac{3}{4}=\frac{\text{adjacent}}{\text{opposite}}. Take adjacent =3=3, opposite =4=4; then hypotenuse =32+42=5=\sqrt{3^2+4^2}=5. So

sin⁡θ=oppositehypotenuse=45.\sin\theta=\frac{\text{opposite}}{\text{hypotenuse}}=\frac{4}{5}.

The equation becomes

cos⁡(tan⁡−1x)=45.\cos(\tan^{-1}x)=\frac{4}{5}.

Step 2 — Simplify the left-hand side

Let ϕ=tan⁡−1x\phi=\tan^{-1}x, so tan⁡ϕ=x=x1\tan\phi=x=\frac{x}{1}. Take opposite =x=x, adjacent =1=1; then hypotenuse =x2+1=\sqrt{x^2+1}, and

cos⁡ϕ=adjacenthypotenuse=1x2+1.\cos\phi=\frac{\text{adjacent}}{\text{hypotenuse}}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2+1}}. …

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