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Question: How do you evaluate \(\cot \left( {\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3}} \right)\)?...

How do you evaluate cot(2π3)\cot \left( {\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3}} \right)?

Explanation

Solution

In order to determine the value of the above question, first rewriting the angle in the form of π±θ\pi \pm \theta , we get ππ3\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3} where θ=π3\theta = \dfrac{\pi }{3}. As we know that cot(πθ)=cot(θ)\cot (\pi - \theta ) = - \cot (\theta ) because ππ3\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3} is the angle in the second quadrant and cotangent is always negative in 2nd quadrant. Rewriting the cotangent and put the exact value of cot(π3)=13\cot \left( {\dfrac{\pi }{3}} \right) = \dfrac{1}{{\sqrt 3 }} in it. At the end multiply and divide with 3\sqrt 3 to get your desired value.

Complete step by step answer:
We are given a cot(2π3)\cot \left( {\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3}} \right), and we have to evaluate its value.
Let’s write the angle 2π3\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3} in the form of π±n\pi \pm n. We get that 2π3\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3} can be written as ππ3\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3}
=cot(ππ3)= \cot \left( {\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3}} \right)-----(1)
Note that cot(πθ)=cot(θ)\cot (\pi - \theta ) = - \cot (\theta )
As we can see that ππ3\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3} is the angle in the second quadrant and cotangent is always negative in 2nd quadrant, that’s by cot(πθ)=cot(θ)\cot (\pi - \theta ) = - \cot (\theta ).
We can write
=cot(ππ3) =cot(π3)  = \cot \left( {\pi - \dfrac{\pi }{3}} \right) \\\ = - \cot \left( {\dfrac{\pi }{3}} \right) \\\
The exact value of cot(π3)=13\cot \left( {\dfrac{\pi }{3}} \right) = \dfrac{1}{{\sqrt 3 }}, putting this value, we get
=13= - \dfrac{1}{{\sqrt 3 }}
Now, multiplying and dividing with the value 3\sqrt 3 in above
=13×33 =33  = - \dfrac{1}{{\sqrt 3 }} \times \dfrac{{\sqrt 3 }}{{\sqrt 3 }} \\\ = - \dfrac{{\sqrt 3 }}{3} \\\
Therefore, the value of cot(2π3)\cot \left( {\dfrac{{2\pi }}{3}} \right) is equal to 33 - \dfrac{{\sqrt 3 }}{3}.

Note:
1. Periodic Function = A function f(x)f(x) is said to be a periodic function if there exists a real number T > 0 such that f(x+T)=f(x)f(x + T) = f(x) for all x.
If T is the smallest positive real number such that f(x+T)=f(x)f(x + T) = f(x) for all x, then T is called the fundamental period of f(x)f(x) .
Since sin(2nπ+θ)=sinθ\sin \,(2n\pi + \theta ) = \sin \theta for all values of θ\theta and n\inN.
2. Even Function – A function f(x)f(x) is said to be an even function, if f(x)=f(x)f( - x) = f(x) for all x in its domain.
Odd Function – A function f(x)f(x) is said to be an even function, if f(x)=f(x)f( - x) = - f(x) for all x in its domain.
We know that sin(θ)=sinθ.cos(θ)=cosθandtan(θ)=tanθ\sin ( - \theta ) = - \sin \theta .\cos ( - \theta ) = \cos \theta \,and\,\tan ( - \theta ) = - \tan \theta
Therefore, sinθ\sin \theta and tanθ\tan \theta and their reciprocals, cosecθ\cos ec\theta and cotθ\cot \theta are odd functions whereas cosθ\cos \theta and its reciprocal secθ\sec \theta are even functions.
3. Trigonometry is one of the significant branches throughout the entire existence of mathematics and this idea is given by a Greek mathematician Hipparchus.