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Q.One of the values of xx for which ∣cos⁡xsin⁡x−cos⁡xsin⁡x∣=1\begin{vmatrix} \cos x & \sin x \\ -\cos x & \sin x \end{vmatrix} = 1 is
(A) 00
(B) π4\dfrac{\pi}{4}
(C) π3\dfrac{\pi}{3}
(D) π2\dfrac{\pi}{2}

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2026MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
✓ Free question

The determinant simplifies to sin⁡xcos⁡x+sin⁡xcos⁡x=sin⁡2x\sin x \cos x + \sin x \cos x = \sin 2x. Setting sin⁡2x=1\sin 2x = 1 gives 2x=π2+2nπ2x = \frac{\pi}{2} + 2n\pi, so x=π4x = \frac{\pi}{4} is one solution. The correct option is (B).

The problem gives a 2×22 \times 2 determinant equal to 11 and asks for a value of xx from the options. The fastest route is to compute the determinant directly — it’s a simple expression in sin⁡x\sin x and cos⁡x\cos x — and then solve the resulting trigonometric equation.

The determinant of ∣abcd∣\begin{vmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{vmatrix} is ad−bcad - bc. Here:

∣cos⁡xsin⁡x−cos⁡xsin⁡x∣=(cos⁡x)(sin⁡x)−(sin⁡x)(−cos⁡x)\begin{vmatrix} \cos x & \sin x \\ -\cos x & \sin x \end{vmatrix} = (\cos x)(\sin x) - (\sin x)(-\cos x)

  1. Simplify the expression. The first term is cos⁡xsin⁡x\cos x \sin x. The second term: (sin⁡x)(−cos⁡x)=−sin⁡xcos⁡x(\sin x)(-\cos x) = -\sin x \cos x, but there’s a minus sign in front, so it becomes −(−sin⁡xcos⁡x)=+sin⁡xcos⁡x-(-\sin x \cos x) = +\sin x \cos x. So the determinant equals:

cos⁡xsin⁡x+sin⁡xcos⁡x=2sin⁡xcos⁡x\cos x \sin x + \sin x \cos x = 2 \sin x \cos x

  1. Use the double-angle identity. Recall that 2sin⁡xcos⁡x=sin⁡2x2 \sin x \cos x = \sin 2x. Therefore the equation becomes:

sin⁡2x=1\sin 2x = 1

  1. Solve sin⁡2x=1\sin 2x = 1. The sine function equals 11 at π2\frac{\pi}{2} plus any integer multiple of 2π2\pi:

2x=π2+2nπ⇒x=π4+nπ2x = \frac{\pi}{2} + 2n\pi \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = \frac{\pi}{4} + n\pi

where nn is any integer.

  1. Check the given options.
    • (A) 00: sin⁡0=0\sin 0 = 0, not 11.
    • (B) π4\frac{\pi}{4}: sin⁡π2=1\sin \frac{\pi}{2} = 1 — works.
    • (C) π3\frac{\pi}{3}: sin⁡2π3=32\sin \frac{2\pi}{3} = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, not 11.
    • (D) π2\frac{\pi}{2}: sin⁡π=0\sin \pi = 0, not 11.
Watch out

A common mistake is to forget the minus sign in the determinant expansion. Here, ad−bcad - bc with b=sin⁡xb = \sin x and c=−cos⁡xc = -\cos x gives (cos⁡x)(sin⁡x)−(sin⁡x)(−cos⁡x)=cos⁡xsin⁡x+sin⁡xcos⁡x(\cos x)(\sin x) - (\sin x)(-\cos x) = \cos x \sin x + \sin x \cos x. If you miss the double negative, you’d get 00 and no solution.

Tip

Recognizing 2sin⁡xcos⁡x=sin⁡2x2 \sin x \cos x = \sin 2x immediately turns a determinant problem into a basic trigonometric equation — always look for double-angle forms when you see products of sine and cosine.

✓Final answer

The correct option is (B) π4\dfrac{\pi}{4}.

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