arithmetic series problem or maybe trig? (1 Viewer)

Aznmichael92

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hello all, i just came across a maths question which i have problems doing.

Question says, Evaluate

cos^2 1 + cos^2 2 + cos^2 3 + ... + cos^2 87 + cos^2 88 + cos^2 89.

My first instinct is to treat it like an arithmetic series.

So i used formula of n[(a1 + an)/2]

= 89(cos^2 1 + cos^2 89)/2
=24.57

I am not sure if its correct but can someone help me? Thank you very much
 

tommykins

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using cos@ = sin(90-@)

you have -
cos^2 1 + cos^2 2 + cos^2 3 + ... + cos^2 87 + cos^2 88 + cos^2 89.
= cos^2 1 + cos^2 2 + cos^2 3 + ... + sin^2 3 + sin^2 2 + sin^2 1
since sin^2 @ + cos^2@ = 1
you have 44 of them as it only goes up to 45.

44 + cos^2 45 = 44+1/2 = 44.5
 

Aznmichael92

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tommykins said:
using cos@ = sin(90-@)

you have -
cos^2 1 + cos^2 2 + cos^2 3 + ... + cos^2 87 + cos^2 88 + cos^2 89.
= cos^2 1 + cos^2 2 + cos^2 3 + ... + sin^2 3 + sin^2 2 + sin^2 1
since sin^2 @ + cos^2@ = 1
you have 44 of them as it only goes up to 45.

44 + cos^2 45 = 44+1/2 = 44.5
ty so it had nothing to do with arithmetic series?

but i tried it, it doesnt seem to work as in, sin^2 1 does not equal to cos^2 89
 
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tommykins

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Aznmichael92 said:
ty so it had nothing to do with arithmetic series?

but i tried it, it doesnt seem to work as in, sin^2 1 does not equal to cos^2 89
Yes it does.
 

Aznmichael92

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oh no how i fix it?

EDIT

nvm i found out thank you so much guys. I LOVE YOUS lol
 

Timothy.Siu

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well u can click mode until u see a screen with deg rad gra, click the number corresponding to deg (degrees)
 

SeftonIsAHole

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hmm if you havent learn radiasn let why is your calculator set in rads? haha
Yeah, watch out for that, one of my friends got fuked over in year 9 cause his little sister changed his calculator settings to rads before math exam ;p, but luckily the teachers picked it up and didn't penalise him that badly.
 

Aznmichael92

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SeftonIsAHole said:
hmm if you havent learn radiasn let why is your calculator set in rads? haha
Yeah, watch out for that, one of my friends got fuked over in year 9 cause his little sister changed his calculator settings to rads before math exam ;p, but luckily the teachers picked it up and didn't penalise him that badly.
um i dont know why its on radian, i think my cousins were playing around with it the other day and put it on radian
 

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