Question

How would you simply explain to someone how to solve
cot x/2 = 1

Answer 1

Depends.

If that someone knew that \(1 = \cot(\pi/4 + n\pi)\), he would find below steps simple enough :

\(\cot(x/2) = 1 = \cot (\pi/4+n\pi)\)
\(x/2 = \pi/4 + n\pi\)
\(x = \pi/2 + 2n\pi\)

Answer 2

what about quadratic equations?

2 sin^2 x - sin x - 1 = 0