If $\cos \left( \sin^{-1} \frac{2}{5} + \cos^{-1} x \right) = 0$, then $x$ is equal to
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → $\frac{2}{5}$ ##
We have, $\cos \left( \sin^{-1} \frac{2}{5} + \cos^{-1} x \right) = 0 \dots(i)$
Let $\sin^{-1} \frac{2}{5} = \alpha ⇒\sin \alpha = \frac{2}{5}$
$∴\cos \alpha = \sqrt{1 - \left( \frac{2}{5} \right)^2} = \frac{\sqrt{21}}{5}$
Again, let $\cos^{-1} x = \beta ⇒\cos \beta = x$
$∴\sin \beta = \sqrt{1 - x^2}$
From Eq. (i), we get
$\cos \left( \sin^{-1} \frac{2}{5} + \cos^{-1} x \right) = 0$
$⇒\cos (\alpha + \beta) = 0$
$⇒\cos \alpha \cos \beta - \sin \alpha \sin \beta = 0$
$⇒\frac{\sqrt{21}}{5} \cdot x - \frac{2}{5} \sqrt{1 - x^2} = 0$
$⇒x\sqrt{21} - 2\sqrt{1 - x^2} = 0$
$⇒x\sqrt{21} = 2\sqrt{1 - x^2}$
On squaring both sides, we get
$21x^2 = 4(1 - x^2)$
$⇒21x^2 = 4 - 4x^2$
$⇒25x^2 = 4 ⇒x^2 = \frac{4}{25}$
$∴x = \pm \frac{2}{5}$