What is the equation of the line that is normal to f(x)= cosx-sin2x at x=(4pi)/3 ?

1 Answer
Feb 11, 2018

f(x)= (-2x) /(sqrt(3)+2)-(1+sqrt(3))/2+(8pi) /(3sqrt(3)+6)

Explanation:

The normal line is perpendicular to the slope at that point, so we have to derive the formula, plug in x=(4pi)/3 to find the slope at that point, find the negative reciprocal of the point to get the perpendicular slope, then use y=mx+b to find the y-intercept of the line

f'(x)=d/dx[cos(x)-sin(2x)]=-sin(x)-2cos(x)]
Plug in x=(4pi)/3 to get the slope at this point is ((sqrt(3)+2)/2),but to find the perpendicular slope you use the negative reciprocal of that slope, which is -2/(sqrt(3)+2).

Now with the slope and the point it must intersect ((4pi)/3,-(1+sqrt(3))/2), find the y-intercept by using y=mx=b to get that messy equation in the answer box.