Question

Solve 2 cot x = csc^2 x symbolically on the interval (0,2pi).

Answer 1

x=pi/4, 5pi/4

Explanation:

cot x = cos x / sin x, csc x = 1/sin x, so we have 2 cos x / sin x = 1/ sin^2 x. multiply both sides by sin^2 x to get 2 cos x * sin x = 1, divide both sides by 2 to get cos x sin x = 1/2, this would work for angles pi/4 and 5pi/4 (3pi/4 and 7pi/4 would make cos x sin x = -1/2) since cos x = sin x = sqrt(2)/2