Question: I'm struggling with solving given trigonometric equation

$$\cos(3x) = \cos(2x)$$

Let's take a look at the trigonometric identities we can use:

$$\cos(2x) = 2\cos^2-1$$

and 

$$\cos(3x) = 4\cos^3(x) -3\cos(x)$$

Plugging into the equation and we have that

$$4\cos^3(x) -3\cos(x) = 2\cos^2(x)-1$$

$$4\cos^3(x) -3\cos(x) - 2\cos^2(x)+1= 0$$

Recalling $t = \cos (x)$, 

$$4t^3-2t^2-3t +1 = 0$$

Which is a cubic equation. Your sincerely helps will be appreciated. 

Regards!

Answer: 
By the definition of cosine function we have that

$$\cos \alpha = \cos \theta \iff \alpha = \theta +2k\pi \, \lor \, \alpha = -\theta +2k\pi \quad k\in \mathbb{Z}$$

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bIZSf.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bIZSf.jpg)

and thus

$$\cos(3x) = \cos(2x)\iff 3x=2x+2k\pi \, \lor \, 3x=-2x+2k\pi \quad k\in \mathbb{Z}$$

that is

* $x=2k\pi$
* $x=\frac25 k\pi$
**Hint**

You can use sum-product equivalence. Which is:

$$\cos(A)-\cos(B)=-2\sin\left(\frac{A+B}{2}\right)\sin\left(\frac{A-B}{2}\right)$$
so,

$$\cos(3x)-\cos(2x)=0\to-2\sin\left(\frac{3x+2x}{2}\right)\sin\left(\frac{3x-2x}{2}\right)=0$$

$$\sin\left(\frac{5x}{2}\right)\sin\left(\frac{x}{2}\right)=0$$
so,

$$\sin\left(\frac{5x}{2}\right)=0 \text{ or } \sin\left(\frac{x}{2}\right)=0$$