Solve the equation #cos6x-cos4x=-sinx#?

1 Answer
Jan 22, 2018

#x=npi# or #x=(npi)/5+(-1)^npi/30#, where #n# is an integer.

Explanation:

As #cosA-cosB=-2sin((A+B)/2)sin((A-B)/2)#

we can write #cos6x-cos4x=-sinx# as

#-2sin5xsinx=-sinx#

or #2sin5xsinx-sinx=0#

or #sinx(2sin5x-1)=0#

therefore either #sinx=0# or #2sin5x-1=0#

if #sinx=0#, #x=npi#

and if #2sin5x-1=0#, #sin5x=1/2=sin(pi/6)#

i.e. #5x=npi+(-1)^npi/6# an #x=(npi)/5+(-1)^npi/30#

Here #n# is an integer.