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Rewrite −2sin(x)+4cos(x) as A sin(x+ϕ). What is the value of A and ϕ?

User Danyal
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1 Answer

13 votes
13 votes

Expand the target expression:

A sin(x + ϕ) = A (sin(x) cos(ϕ) + cos(x) sin(ϕ)) = -2 sin(x) + 4 cos(x)

Then we have

A cos(ϕ) = -2

A sin(ϕ) = 4

Recall that sin²(x) + cos²(x) = 1 for all x. Then

(A cos(ϕ))² + (A sin(ϕ))² = (-2)² + 4²

A² (cos²(ϕ) + sin²(ϕ)) = 4 + 16

A² = 20

A = √20 = 2√5

Also recall that tan(x) = sin(x)/cos(x) by definition. Then

(A sin(ϕ)) / (A cos(ϕ)) = 4 / (-2)

tan(ϕ) = -2

ϕ = arctan(-2) = -arctan(2)

User VsMaX
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