2021 AMC 12B Spring Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 2021 AMC 12B Spring below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2021 AMC 12B Spring solutions, or check the answer key.

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13.

How many values of θ\theta in the interval 0<θ2π0\lt\theta\le 2\pi satisfy 13sinθ+5cos3θ=0?1-3\sin\theta+5\cos 3\theta=0?

22

44

55

66

88

Answer: D
Concepts:trigonometrysystematic listing
Difficulty rating: 1850
Solution:

Let f(θ)=13sinθ+5cos3θ.f(\theta)=1-3\sin\theta+5\cos 3\theta. At θ=0,π3,2π3,,2π,\theta=0,\tfrac\pi3,\tfrac{2\pi}3,\ldots,2\pi, its signs alternate +,,+,,+,,+.+,-,+,-,+,-,+. Therefore there is at least one root in each of the six intervening intervals.

At any root, 5cos3θ=3sinθ1.5\cos3\theta=3\sin\theta-1. Consequently 25sin23θcos2θ=23+6sinθ8sin2θ>0. \begin{aligned} &25\sin^2 3\theta-\cos^2\theta \\ &\quad =23+6\sin\theta-8\sin^2\theta>0. \end{aligned} Hence 15sin3θ>3cosθ.15|\sin3\theta|>3|\cos\theta|. In the interval (kπ3,(k+1)π3),(\tfrac{k\pi}{3},\tfrac{(k+1)\pi}{3}), the sign of f(θ)=3cosθ15sin3θf'(\theta)=-3\cos\theta-15\sin3\theta is therefore (1)k+1(-1)^{k+1} at every root.

Thus every root in a given interval crosses the axis in the same direction. Two such roots would require an intervening crossing in the opposite direction, so each interval has exactly one root. There are 66 solutions in all.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

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