What are all the solutions to the equation sec^2(x) = 2tan^2(x) within the interval [0, 2π]?

Finding Solutions to the Equation

To solve the equation sec²(x) = 2tan²(x) within the interval [0, 2π], we start by rewriting the terms using the definitions of secant and tangent:

  • sec(x) = 1/cos(x)
  • tan(x) = sin(x)/cos(x)

This allows us to express the equation in terms of sine and cosine:

sec²(x) = 1/cos²(x) and tan²(x) = sin²(x)/cos²(x). Substituting these into the equation gives us:

1/cos²(x) = 2(sin²(x)/cos²(x))

Multiplying both sides by cos²(x) (and noting that cos(x) cannot be zero), we simplify to:

1 = 2sin²(x)

Rearranging leads to:

2sin²(x) = 1, or sin²(x) = 1/2.

Taking the square root of both sides, we find:

sin(x) = ±√(1/2) = ±√2/2.

Next, we identify the angles where the sine function equals √2/2 and -√2/2:

1. Solutions for sin(x) = √2/2

This is true at:

  • x = π/4
  • x = 3π/4

2. Solutions for sin(x) = -√2/2

This is true at:

  • x = 5π/4
  • x = 7π/4

Final Solutions

Combining all the solutions, we find the values of x within the interval [0, 2π]:

  • x = π/4
  • x = 3π/4
  • x = 5π/4
  • x = 7π/4

These angles represent the complete set of solutions to the equation sec²(x) = 2tan²(x) in the specified interval.

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