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How can I rewrite $\sin x + \sqrt{5}\cdot \cos x$ in a form $c \cdot \sin (x+d)$??? How can I find the values for $c$ and $d$? I have no idea how to solve that algebraically.

Is there also a possibility to rewrite it in termes of $\cos$ instead of $\sin$? Or maybe even with $\tan$?

user50224
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  • Related : http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/213545/solving-a-trignometric-equation-of-form-a-sin-x-b-cos-x-c?rq=1 – lab bhattacharjee Aug 03 '14 at 18:08
  • Factor out a constant in a way that lets you use the sum rule for sine in reverse. Equivalently, equate your two expressions, expand the one on the right using the sum rule for sine, and then start solving. – anon Aug 03 '14 at 18:10

2 Answers2

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Divide by $c$ on both sides to have $$\frac1c\sin(x)+\frac{\sqrt{5}}{c}\cos(x)=\sin(x+d)$$

You would have the angle addition rule for sine here if

$$\begin{align} \cos(d)&=\frac1c\\ \sin(d)&=\frac{\sqrt5}{c} \end{align}$$

Square both sides of both equations and add corresponding sides together to give yourself a quadratic equation in $c$. From there, for each of the two solutions for $c$ (which are $\pm\sqrt{6}$), use the above two equations to deduce what quadrant $d$ is in (if $c>0$, $d$ is in quadrant I, otherwise $d$ is in quadrant III), and then use the appropriate variation on $\arccos$ or $\arcsin$ to solve for $d$. (If $d$ is in quadrant I, $d=\arccos\left(\frac1c\right)+2\pi k$, and if $d$ is in quadrant III, $d=\frac\pi2-\arccos\left(\frac1c\right)+2\pi k$.)

2'5 9'2
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In general, if we have: $a\sin x + b\cos x$, you can write that as: $$\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}\left(\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2+b^2}}\sin x + \frac{b}{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}}\cos x \right)$$ and call $y = \arccos\left(\frac{a}{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}}\right)$, to finally use the formula for $\sin(x+y)$ on the other direction. Applying that to your specific problem, we have: $$\sin x + \sqrt{5}\cos x = \sqrt{6}\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{6}}\sin x + \frac{\sqrt{5}}{\sqrt{6}}\cos x\right) = \sqrt{6}\sin(x + \theta)$$ where $\theta = \arccos(1/\sqrt{6})$.

Ivo Terek
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