1996 AIME Problems/Problem 10

Revision as of 04:40, 18 August 2015 by Kovan (talk | contribs) (Solution 2)

Problem

Find the smallest positive integer solution to $\tan{19x^{\circ}}=\dfrac{\cos{96^{\circ}}+\sin{96^{\circ}}}{\cos{96^{\circ}}-\sin{96^{\circ}}}$.

Solution

$\dfrac{\cos{96^{\circ}}+\sin{96^{\circ}}}{\cos{96^{\circ}}-\sin{96^{\circ}}} =$ $\dfrac{\sin{186^{\circ}}+\sin{96^{\circ}}}{\sin{186^{\circ}}-\sin{96^{\circ}}} =$ $\dfrac{\sin{(141^{\circ}+45^{\circ})}+\sin{(141^{\circ}-45^{\circ})}}{\sin{(141^{\circ}+45^{\circ})}-\sin{(141^{\circ}-45^{\circ})}} =$ $\dfrac{2\sin{141^{\circ}}\cos{45^{\circ}}}{2\cos{141^{\circ}}\sin{45^{\circ}}} = \tan{141^{\circ}}$.

The period of the tangent function is $180^\circ$, and the tangent function is one-to-one over each period of its domain.

Thus, $19x \equiv 141 \pmod{180}$.

Since $19^2 \equiv 361 \equiv 1 \pmod{180}$, multiplying both sides by $19$ yields $x \equiv 141 \cdot 19 \equiv (140+1)(18+1) \equiv 0+140+18+1 \equiv 159 \pmod{180}$.

Therefore, the smallest positive solution is $x = \boxed{159}$.

Solution 2

$\dfrac{\cos{96^{\circ}}+\sin{96^{\circ}}}{\cos{96^{\circ}}-\sin{96^{\circ}}} = \dfrac{1 + \tan{96^{\circ}}}{1-\tan{96^{\circ}}}$ which is the same as $\dfrac{\tan{45^{\circ}} + \tan{96^{\circ}}}{1-\tan{45^{\circ}}\tan{96^{\circ}}}$ i.e. $\tan{141{^\circ}}$

So $19x = 141 +180n$, for some integer $n$.\\ Multiplying by $19$ gives $x \equiv 141 \cdot 19 \equiv 2679 \equiv 159 \pmod{180}$. The smallest positive solution of this is $x = \boxed{159}$

See also

1996 AIME (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 9
Followed by
Problem 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions

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