C2 Trigonometry Exam Questions

1. [Jan 05 Q4] (a) Show that the equation

5 cos2 x = 3(1 + sin x)

can be written as
5 sin2 x + 3 sin x – 2 = 0.
(2)
(b) Hence solve, for 0  x < 360, the equation

5 cos2 x = 3(1 + sin x),

giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate. (5)

2. [June 05 Q5] Solve, for 0  x  180, the equation

3
(a) sin (x + 10) = , (4)
2
(b) cos 2x = –0.9, giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (4)

3. [Jan 06 Q8] (a) Find all the values of  , to 1 decimal place, in the interval 0   < 360
for which

5 sin ( + 30) = 3.
(4)
(b) Find all the values of  , to 1 decimal place, in the interval 0   < 360 for which

tan2  = 4.
(5)

4. [June 06 Q6] (a) Given that sin  = 5 cos , find the value of tan . (1)
(b) Hence, or otherwise, find the values of  in the interval 0   < 360 for which

sin  = 5 cos ,

giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (3)

5. [Jan 07 Q6] Find all the solutions, in the interval 0 ≤ x < 2, of the equation

2 cos2 x + 1 = 5 sin x,

giving each solution in terms of . (6)

 
6. [June 07 Q9] (a) Sketch, for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2, the graph of y = sin  x   . (2)
 6
(b) Write down the exact coordinates of the points where the graph meets the coordinate axes.
(3)
(c) Solve, for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2, the equation

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 
sin  x   = 0.65,
 6

giving your answers in radians to 2 decimal places. (5)

7. [Jan 08 Q4] (a) Show that the equation

3 sin2  – 2 cos2  = 1
can be written as
5 sin2  = 3.
(2)
(b) Hence solve, for 0   < 360, the equation
3 sin2  – 2 cos2  = 1,
giving your answer to 1 decimal place. (7)

8. [June 08 Q9] Solve, for 0  x < 360°,

1
(a) sin(x – 20) = , (4)
2
1
(b) cos 3x = – . (6)
2

9. [Jan 09 Q8] (a) Show that the equation

4 sin2 x + 9 cos x – 6 = 0
can be written as
4 cos2 x – 9 cos x + 2 = 0.
(2)
(b) Hence solve, for 0  x < 720°,
4 sin2 x + 9 cos x – 6 = 0,

giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (6)

10. [June 09 Q7] (i) Solve, for –180°  θ < 180°,

(1 + tan θ )(5 sin θ − 2) = 0.

(4)

(ii) Solve, for 0  x < 360°,

4 sin x = 3 tan x.
(6)

11. [Jan 10 Q2] (a) Show that the equation

5 sin x = 1 + 2 cos2 x
can be written in the form
2 sin2 x + 5 sin x – 3 = 0.
(2)

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(b) Solve, for 0  x < 360,
2 sin2 x + 5 sin x – 3 = 0.
(4)
12. [June 10 Q5] (a) Given that 5 sin θ = 2 cos θ, find the value of tan θ . (1)
(b) Solve, for 0  x<360°,
5 sin 2x = 2 cos 2x ,
giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (5)

13. [Jan 11 Q7] (a) Show that the equation

3 sin2 x + 7 sin x = cos2 x − 4
can be written in the form
4 sin2 x + 7 sin x + 3 = 0.
(2)
(b) Hence solve, for 0  x < 360°,

3 sin2 x + 7 sin x = cos2 x − 4

giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate. (5)

14. [June 11 Q7] (a) Solve for 0  x < 360°, giving your answers in degrees to 1 decimal place,

3 sin (x + 45°) = 2.
(4)

(b) Find, for 0  x < 2, all the solutions of

2 sin2 x + 2 = 7cos x,
giving your answers in radians.
You must show clearly how you obtained your answers. (6)

1
15. [Jan 12 Q9] (i) Find the solutions of the equation sin (3x – 15) = , for which 0  x 
2
180. (6)
(ii)

Figure 4 shows part of the curve with equation

y = sin (ax − b), where a > 0, 0 < b < .

The curve cuts the x-axis at the points P, Q and R as shown.

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   3   11 
Given that the coordinates of P, Q and R are  , 0  ,  , 0  and  , 0  respectively, find
 10   5   10 
the values of a and b. (4)

16. [June 12 Q6] (a) Show that the equation

tan 2x = 5 sin 2x
can be written in the form
(1 – 5 cos 2x) sin 2x = 0.
(2)
(b) Hence solve, for 0  x  180°,
tan 2x = 5 sin 2x,

giving your answers to 1 decimal place where appropriate.

You must show clearly how you obtained your answers.
(5)
17. [Jan 13 Q4] Solve, for 0  x < 180°,
cos (3x − 10°) = −0.4,

giving your answers to 1 decimal place. You should show each step in your working. (7)

18. [June 13 Q8] (i) Solve, for –180°  x < 180°,

tan(x – 40) = 1.5,
giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (3)
(ii) (a) Show that the equation
sin  tan  = 3 co s + 2
can be written in the form
4 cos2 + 2 cos  – 1 = 0.
(3)
(b) Hence solve, for 0   < 360°,

sin  tan  = 3 cos  + 2,

showing each stage of your working. (5)

19. [June 13(R) Q9] (i) Solve, for 0 ≤ θ < 180°

sin (2θ – 30°) + 1 = 0.4

giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (5)

(ii) Find all the values of x, in the interval 0 ≤ θ < 360° , for which
9 cos2 x – 11 cos x + 3 sin2 x = 0
giving your answers to 1 decimal place. (7)

You must show clearly how you obtained your answers.

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Solutions

Question 1

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Question 2

Question 3

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Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

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Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

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Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

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Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

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Question 16

Question 17

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Question 18

Question 19

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