If the equation was tan(3y +32)=cot(y-32)
and the angles are measured in degrees,
the expected answer may be y=22.5
The cotangent of an angle is the tangent of the complementary angle and viceversa, so with angles measured in degrees
tan(A)=cot(90-A) .
The equation could be re-written as
cot[90-(3y+32)]=cot(y-32) ,
which simplifies to
cot(58-3y)=cot(y-32) .
If 58-3y=y-32,
58+32=y+3y
90=4y
y=90/4=22.5
The angles do not need to be the same, because tangent and cotangent are periodic with period=180 degrees.
There is really an infinite number of solutions,
because cot(58-3y)=cot(y-32) means that
58-3y+180k=y-32 for some integer k.
Then, 58+180k+32=4y ,
so 90+180k=4y and y=(90+180k)/4 .
For k=0, y=22.5 ,
for k=-1, y=-22.5 ,
for k=1, y=67.5 ,
for k=2, y=112.5 , and so on.
Solve for y in the equation tan(3y +32)=cot(y-32)
1 answer