To solve this equation, we need to identify all angles,
\(\theta\text{,}\) that have a sine value of
\(\frac{1}{2}\text{.}\)
\begin{equation*}
\theta=\frac{\pi}{6} \hspace{.25in} \text{and} \hspace{.25in} \theta=\frac{5\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
These solutions are two common angles on the unit circle that have a sine value of \(\frac{1}{2}\text{.}\)
However, if we look at the graph of
\(f(\theta)=\sin(\theta)\) to see where it intersects with the horizontal line
\(y=\frac{1}{2}\text{,}\) we can see that there are actually more than two solutions to the equation
\(\sin(\theta)=\frac{1}{2}\text{.}\)

The two solutions we found above,
\(\frac{\pi}{6}\) and
\(\frac{5\pi}{6}\text{,}\) are shown on the graph below. We call these two angles our
initial solutions (or
base angles).

Because sine is a periodic function, we can use these two initial solutions to solve for all other solutions. Recall that the period of sine is \(2\pi\text{.}\) Therefore, to find another solution on the graph, we can add \(2\pi\) to \(\frac{\pi}{6}\text{:}\)
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{\pi}{6} + 2\pi = \frac{\pi}{6} + \frac{12\pi}{6} = \frac{13\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
Alternatively, we could have also subtracted \(2\pi\) from \(\frac{\pi}{6}\) to give us yet another solution.
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{\pi}{6} - 2\pi = \frac{\pi}{6} - \frac{12\pi}{6} = -\frac{11\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
These two additional solutions are shown on the graph below.

We could also add or subtract multiples of the period for the other initial solution, \(\frac{5\pi}{6}\text{.}\) For example, if we add or substract one multiple of \(2\pi\) to \(\frac{5\pi}{6}\text{,}\) then the respective solutions are:
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{17\pi}{6} \hspace{.25in} \text{ and } \hspace{.25in} \theta = -\frac{7\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}

We have found all solutions shown on the graph above, but there are still infinitely many solutions left to find because the graph of sine intersects the line
\(y=\frac{1}{2}\) infinitely many times.

To find all of the solutions, we add multiples of \(2\pi\) to our initial solutions. That is,
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{\pi}{6}+2\pi k \hspace{.25in} \text{and} \hspace{.25in} \theta = \frac{5\pi}{6} + 2\pi k \hspace{.25in} \text{ where } k \text{ is any integer}
\end{equation*}
Remember that an integer is a positive or negative whole number, so
\(k=..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ...\)
We can relate these solution sets back to the intersection points on the graph above. When \(k=0\text{,}\) we get our two initial solutions:
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{\pi}{6}+2\pi k = \frac{\pi}{6} + 2\pi\cdot 0 = \frac{\pi}{6} + 0 = \frac{\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
and
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{5\pi}{6}+2\pi k = \frac{5\pi}{6} + 2\pi\cdot 0 = \frac{5\pi}{6} + 0 = \frac{5\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
When \(k=1\text{,}\) we get
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{\pi}{6}+2\pi k = \frac{\pi}{6} + 2\pi\cdot 1 = \frac{\pi}{6} + 2\pi = \frac{\pi}{6} + \frac{12\pi}{6} = \frac{13\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
and
\begin{equation*}
\theta = \frac{5\pi}{6}+2\pi k = \frac{5\pi}{6} + 2\pi\cdot 1 = \frac{5\pi}{6} + 2\pi = \frac{5\pi}{6} +\frac{12\pi}{6} = \frac{17\pi}{6}
\end{equation*}
This corresponds to the two solutions to the right of our initial solutions on the graph.
When
\(k=-1\text{,}\) we get the two solutions to the left of our initial solutions:
\(-\frac{11\pi}{6}\) and
\(-\frac{7\pi}{6}\text{,}\) and so on.
We can also relate these solution sets to angles on the unit circle.