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For what numbers θ is f(θ) = tan(θ) not defined?

a) θ = nπ, where n is an integer
b) θ = (2n + 1)π/2, where n is an integer
c) θ = nπ/2, where n is an odd integer
d) θ = nπ, where n is an odd integer

User Cristy
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The function tan(θ) is not defined when cos(θ) = 0. Therefore, for what numbers θ is f(θ) = tan(θ) not defined? The correct answer is option c) θ = nπ/2, where n is an odd integer.

Step-by-step explanation:

In mathematics, the function tan(θ) is not defined for certain values of θ. Specifically, tan(θ) is not defined when the value of θ makes the denominator of the fraction equal to zero. The denominator of the tan(θ) function is cos(θ). Therefore, when cos(θ) = 0, the function is not defined.

Using this information, we can determine that the correct answer is option c) θ = nπ/2, where n is an odd integer. This is because for odd values of n, cos(nπ/2) = 0, making tan(nπ/2) undefined.

For example, when n = 1, θ = π/2, and tan(π/2) is undefined.

The function f(θ) = tan(θ) is not defined for angles θ at which the value of the cosine function is zero, because the tangent function is the ratio of the sine function to the cosine function, and division by zero is undefined.

User Andrew Hubbs
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