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Assume that $0< \theta < \pi$. For three points $A(1,0)$, $B(\cos(\theta),\sin(\theta))$ and $C(\cos(2\theta),\sin(2\theta))$ on a unit circle, the area of triangle $ABC$ is: ???

I drew out the unit circle and tried to get the dimensions. I ended up drawing a triangle underneath the main triangle to try and get the base, but that ended up giving me a square root and I couldn't find a way to get rid of it.

The answer is: $\sin(1-\cos)$

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  • $\begingroup$ Are you allowed to use calculus? $\endgroup$ Jun 2, 2022 at 21:31
  • $\begingroup$ yes, and I know up to calculus 2, also a little bit of calculus 3, as long as it is only triple integrals. $\endgroup$ Jun 2, 2022 at 21:43

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Observe that, because $\angle BOA = \angle BOC =\theta$, the triangle $ABC$ is isosceles, with base $ b = 2\sin \theta$ and height $h =1-\cos\theta$. Thus, its area is $$A= \frac12b h =\sin\theta (1-\cos\theta)$$

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  • $\begingroup$ How is the height 1-cos? I could see 0-cos because the point on A is (1,0), then in quadrant two the x and y are just flipped from quadrant 1's sin and cos. Could you maybe give me an explanation as to why the height and base are like that? $\endgroup$ Jun 2, 2022 at 21:46
  • $\begingroup$ @TizzleRizzle - Let D be the intersect of BO and AC. Then, the height is $BD = BO-DO =1- AO \cos\theta=1-\cos\theta$ $\endgroup$
    – Quanto
    Jun 2, 2022 at 21:53
  • $\begingroup$ what is BO? is that a zero? or an o? $\endgroup$ Jun 2, 2022 at 21:54
  • $\begingroup$ how do you kow that BOA and BOC are equal? $\endgroup$ Jun 2, 2022 at 22:06
  • $\begingroup$ @TizzleRizzle $\angle BOA = \angle BOC =\theta$ $\endgroup$
    – Quanto
    Jun 3, 2022 at 0:25
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The three side lengths of $\triangle ABC$ are:

$$BC = AB = \sqrt{(\cos \theta - 1)^2 + (\sin \theta - 0)^2}$$ $$= \sqrt{\cos^2 \theta - 2 \cos \theta + 1 + \sin^2 \theta}$$ $$= \sqrt{2 - 2 \cos \theta}$$ $$AC = \sqrt{(\cos(2\theta) - 1)^2 + (\sin(2\theta)-0)^2}$$ $$= \sqrt{\cos^2(2\theta) - 2\cos(2\theta) + 1 + \sin^2(2\theta)}$$ $$= \sqrt{2 - 2\cos(2\theta)}$$ $$= \sqrt{2 - 2(1 - 2\sin^2 \theta)}$$ $$= \sqrt{4\sin^2\theta}$$ $$= 2 \sin \theta$$

(In that last step, we can assume that $\sin\theta$ is positive because were are given $0 < \theta < \pi$.)

If we cut this isosceles triangle in half by bisecting $\angle B$, we get two right triangles with a hypotenuse of $\sqrt{2 - 2\cos\theta}$ and a base leg of $\sin \theta$. The other leg, the height of the triangle, is:

$$\sqrt{(\sqrt{2 - 2\cos\theta})^2 - \sin^2 \theta}$$ $$= \sqrt{2 - 2\cos\theta - \sin^2 \theta}$$ $$= \sqrt{2 - 2\cos\theta - (1 - \cos^2 \theta)}$$ $$= \sqrt{1 - 2\cos\theta + \cos^2 \theta}$$ $$= \sqrt{(1 - \cos\theta)^2}$$ $$= 1 - \cos\theta$$.

We thus have:

$$\text{area of } \triangle ABC = \frac{1}{2} \text{(base)}\text{(height)}$$ $$=\frac{1}{2} (2 \sin \theta)(1 - \cos \theta)$$ $$=(\sin \theta)(1 - \cos \theta)$$

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  • $\begingroup$ Why is it cosx - 1? I thought it would have been 1-cosx $\endgroup$ Jun 7, 2022 at 23:04
  • $\begingroup$ Could I also ask how you knew to switch cos2x into $1-2sin^2x$? $\endgroup$ Jun 7, 2022 at 23:47
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Since coordinates of $(B,C)$ has trig arguments $(\theta, 2 \theta), $ we note that OB is $\perp$ to AB due to bisection of angle subtended at center $O$, the origin.

Yellow area of is difference of kite OABC and triangle area OAC. First part is 2.OB.CM ; Second part is 2.CM.OM;

$$ =\frac12.1. \sin\theta \times 2 -\frac12. \sin \theta.\cos \theta \times 2 =\sin \theta - \sin \theta.\cos \theta. $$

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  • $\begingroup$ what equation is this? also what is O? theta? $\endgroup$ Jun 8, 2022 at 0:11
  • $\begingroup$ Edited answer. The origin is $O$. $\endgroup$
    – Narasimham
    Jun 8, 2022 at 16:12

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