Trigonometry Examples

$\cot (\frac{a}{3}) = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3}$

Step 1

Take the inverse cotangent of both sides of the equation to extract $a$ from inside the cotangent.

$\frac{a}{3} = arccot (\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3})$

Step 2

Simplify the right side.

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Step 2.1

The exact value of $arccot (\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3})$ is $\frac{π}{3}$ .

$\frac{a}{3} = \frac{π}{3}$

Step 3

Since the expression on each side of the equation has the same denominator, the numerators must be equal.

$a = π$

Step 4

The cotangent function is positive in the first and third quadrants. To find the second solution, add the reference angle from $π$ to find the solution in the fourth quadrant.

$\frac{a}{3} = π + \frac{π}{3}$

Step 5

Solve for $a$ .

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Step 5.1

Multiply both sides of the equation by $3$ .

$3 \frac{a}{3} = 3 (π + \frac{π}{3})$

Step 5.2

Simplify both sides of the equation.

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Step 5.2.1

Simplify the left side.

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Step 5.2.1.1

Cancel the common factor of $3$ .

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Step 5.2.1.1.1

Cancel the common factor.

$3 \frac{a}{3} = 3 (π + \frac{π}{3})$

Step 5.2.1.1.2

Rewrite the expression.

$a = 3 (π + \frac{π}{3})$

Step 5.2.2

Simplify the right side.

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Step 5.2.2.1

Simplify $3 (π + \frac{π}{3})$ .

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Step 5.2.2.1.1

To write $π$ as a fraction with a common denominator, multiply by $\frac{3}{3}$ .

$a = 3 (π \cdot \frac{3}{3} + \frac{π}{3})$

Step 5.2.2.1.2

Simplify terms.

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Step 5.2.2.1.2.1

Combine $π$ and $\frac{3}{3}$ .

$a = 3 (\frac{π \cdot 3}{3} + \frac{π}{3})$

Step 5.2.2.1.2.2

Combine the numerators over the common denominator.

$a = 3 \frac{π \cdot 3 + π}{3}$

Step 5.2.2.1.2.3

Cancel the common factor of $3$ .

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Step 5.2.2.1.2.3.1

Cancel the common factor.

$a = 3 \frac{π \cdot 3 + π}{3}$

Step 5.2.2.1.2.3.2

Rewrite the expression.

$a = π \cdot 3 + π$

Step 5.2.2.1.3

Move $3$ to the left of $π$ .

$a = 3 π + π$

Step 5.2.2.1.4

Add $3 π$ and $π$ .

$a = 4 π$

Step 6

Find the period of $\cot (\frac{a}{3})$ .

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Step 6.1

The period of the function can be calculated using $\frac{π}{| b |}$ .

$\frac{π}{| b |}$

Step 6.2

Replace $b$ with $\frac{1}{3}$ in the formula for period.

$\frac{π}{| \frac{1}{3} |}$

Step 6.3

$\frac{1}{3}$ is approximately $0.\overline{3}$ which is positive so remove the absolute value

$\frac{π}{\frac{1}{3}}$

Step 6.4

Multiply the numerator by the reciprocal of the denominator.

$π \cdot 3$

Step 6.5

Move $3$ to the left of $π$ .

$3 π$

Step 7

The period of the $\cot (\frac{a}{3})$ function is $3 π$ so values will repeat every $3 π$ radians in both directions.

$a = π + 3 π n, 4 π + 3 π n$ , for any integer $n$

Step 8

Consolidate the answers.

$a = π + 3 π n$ , for any integer $n$