MCQMediumJEE 2025Trigonometric Equations

JEE Mathematics 2025 Question with Solution

The number of solutions of the equation cos2θcos(θ2)+cos(5θ2)=2cos3(5θ2)\cos 2\theta \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right) + \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) = 2 \cos^3 \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) in the interval π2,π2-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2} is:

  • A

    77

  • B

    55

  • C

    66

  • D

    99

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given:

cos2θcos(θ2)+cos(5θ2)=2cos3(5θ2)\cos 2\theta \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right) + \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) = 2 \cos^3 \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right)

with θ[π2,π2]\theta \in \left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right].

Find: The number of solutions in the given interval.

Use the identity

cos3x=14(3cosx+cos3x)\cos^3 x = \frac{1}{4}\left(3\cos x + \cos 3x\right)

So,

2cos3(5θ2)=12(3cos(5θ2)+cos(15θ2))2\cos^3 \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) = \frac{1}{2}\left(3\cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) + \cos \left( \frac{15\theta}{2} \right)\right)

Substituting into the equation,

cos2θcos(θ2)+cos(5θ2)=32cos(5θ2)+12cos(15θ2)\cos 2\theta \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right) + \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) = \frac{3}{2} \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) + \frac{1}{2} \cos \left( \frac{15\theta}{2} \right)

Rearranging,

cos2θcos(θ2)=12cos(15θ2)+12cos(5θ2)\cos 2\theta \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right) = \frac{1}{2} \cos \left( \frac{15\theta}{2} \right) + \frac{1}{2} \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right)

The extracted solution states that evaluating this equation over the interval [π2,π2]\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right] gives 77 solutions.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Alternative Working from Extracted Solution

Given:

cos2θcos(θ2)+cos(5θ2)=2cos3(5θ2)\cos 2\theta \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right) + \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right) = 2 \cos^3 \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right)

Find: The number of solutions in [π2,π2]\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right].

The extracted alternative approach sets

x=cos(θ2),y=cos(5θ2)x = \cos \left( \frac{\theta}{2} \right), \qquad y = \cos \left( \frac{5\theta}{2} \right)

and rewrites the equation as

2x2y+y=2y32x^2 y + y = 2y^3

Hence,

y(2x2+1)=2y3y(2x^2 + 1) = 2y^3

so that

y(2x2+12y2)=0y(2x^2 + 1 - 2y^2) = 0

This gives two cases:

  1. y=0y = 0
  2. 2x2+12y2=02x^2 + 1 - 2y^2 = 0

The provided solution then states that, after checking these cases in the interval [π2,π2]\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right], there are 77 distinct solutions.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Common mistakes

  • Treating the interval π2,π2-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2} as open instead of the closed interval [π2,π2]\left[-\frac{\pi}{2}, \frac{\pi}{2}\right] is incorrect because endpoint solutions, if they satisfy the equation, must be counted. Always test the boundary values explicitly.

  • Using the identity for cos3x\cos^3 x incorrectly leads to a wrong transformed equation. The correct identity is cos3x=14(3cosx+cos3x)\cos^3 x = \frac{1}{4}(3\cos x + \cos 3x). Substitute this carefully before rearranging terms.

  • In the substitution method, assuming cos2θcos(θ2)=2x2y\cos 2\theta \cos\left(\frac{\theta}{2}\right) = 2x^2y without justification is dangerous because xx and yy are not independent and the relation is not immediate from the definitions. If using substitutions, verify each transformed term exactly.

Practice more Trigonometric Equations questions

Get unlimited AI-adaptive practice, mastery tracking, and an AI tutor that explains every step — free to start.

Related questions