In the triangle , , , and angle radians (see diagram).

- (a)
Show that .
- (b)
Show that .
- (c)
Use the result from part (b) to find the Maclaurin expansion for , up to and including the term in . Give the coefficients as exact values in their simplest form.
- (d)
Using the result from part (c), deduce the approximate value of when angle is , giving your answer correct to 6 decimal places.
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Worked solution
5(a)
1. Apply the cosine rule to triangle $ABC$ to find an initial expression for $x^2$.
2. Expand the trigonometric expression using the addition formula and simplify to the target form.
Using the addition formula :
Substituting the exact trigonometric ratios and :
5(c)
1. Find the values of $x$ and its first derivative at $\theta = 0$.
From part (a), .
At :
Since is a side length of a triangle, , so .
Differentiating implicitly with respect to :
Substitute and :
2. Use the equation from part (b) to evaluate the second derivative at $\theta = 0$.
From part (b):
Substitute , , and :
3. Differentiate the equation from part (b) to find the third derivative at $\theta = 0$.
Differentiate the equation from part (b) implicitly with respect to :
Substitute , along with our known evaluated derivatives:
4. Substitute the evaluated derivatives into the Maclaurin series formula.
The Maclaurin expansion for is:
Substituting the evaluated constants:
5(d)
1. Derive the Maclaurin expansion for $x$ up to the term in $\theta^3$ as required from part (c).
From part (a), at , (since length ).
Differentiating the equation from (a) with respect to :
At : .
Using the given equation from (b) at :
Differentiating the equation from (b) with respect to using the Product and Chain rules:
At :
Substituting these derivatives into the Maclaurin series formula:
2. Determine the value of $\theta$ in radians corresponding to angle $ABC = 35^\circ$.
We are given that angle .
Since radians is equivalent to , when the angle is , we have:
To use the Maclaurin expansion, the angle must be in radians:
3. Substitute $\theta = \frac{\pi}{36}$ into the Maclaurin expansion to approximate $x$.
Substitute into the Maclaurin expansion obtained from part (c):
Using a calculator to compute the value:
Rounding the result to 6 decimal places, we get:
1.150958
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