Trigonometric Identities and Equations

I. Fundamental Trigonometric Identities

A. Reciprocal identities

1.

cos
1
sec = 2.

sin
1
csc = 3.

tan
1
cot =

B.Quotient identities

1.

cos
sin
tan = 2. .

sin
cos
cot =

C. Pythagorean identities

1. 2. 3. 1 cos sin
2 2
= +
2 2
sec 1 tan = +
2 2
csc cot 1 = +


D. Sum and difference identities

1. sin cos cos sin ) sin( =

2. sin sin cos cos ) cos( m =

3.



tan tan 1
tan tan
) tan(
m

=

E. Double angle identities

1. cos sin 2 2 sin =

2. 1 cos 2 sin 2 1 sin cos 2 cos
2 2 2 2
= = =

3.

2
tan 1
tan 2
2 tan

=

F. Half angle identities

1.
2
cos 1
2
sin
2

=

2.
2
cos 1
2
cos
2
+
=

3.

cos 1
cos 1
2
tan
2
+

1
G. Miscellaneous identities

1. sin ) sin( =

2. cos ) cos( =

3. tan ) tan( =

4.

=
2
cos
2
sin 2 sin sin


m


5.

+
= +
2
cos
2
cos 2 cos cos



6.

+
=
2
sin
2
sin 2 cos cos



7. ) sin(
2
1
) sin(
2
1
cos sin + + =

8. ) sin(
2
1
) sin(
2
1
sin cos + =

9. ) cos(
2
1
) cos(
2
1
cos cos + + =

10. ) cos(
2
1
) cos(
2
1
sin sin + =

11.

sin
cos 1
cos 1
sin
2
tan

=
+
=

H. Useful suggestions for proving trigonometric identities

1. Avoid aimless transformations. Any transformation that is made in one of the
members should lead in some way to the form of the other.
2. Start with the more complicated member of the identity and transform it into
the form of the simpler member.
3. Where possible, express different functions in terms of the same function.
4. It is often useful to express all functions in terms of sines and cosines, or in
terms of tangents and secants.

2
5. As a rule, trigonometric functions of a double angle, a half angle, or the sums
and differences of angles should be expressed in terms of functions of the
single angle.
6. Simplify expressions by utilizing basic identities and combining like terms.
7. Simplify fractions. For example, transform complex fractions into simple
fractions or divide the terms of a fraction by the common factors.

I. Examples

1. Using trigonometric identities and fundamental trigonometric function values,
find each of the following:

(a)
2
3 2
4
3 2
2
2
3
1
2
60 cos 1
2
30
sin 15 sin

=

=
o o
o


(b)

= = + =
2
3
2
2
30 sin 45 sin 30 cos 45 cos ) 30 45 cos( 75 cos
o o o o o o o


4
2 6
2
1
2
2
=

(c)
2
1
30 sin )] 15 ( 2 sin[ 15 cos 15 sin 2 = = =
o o o o


(d) 3 2
3 2
1
2
3
1
2
1
30 cos 1
30 sin
2
30
tan 15 tan =
+
=
+
=
+
=

=
o
o o
o


(e) = + + = ) 5 . 7 5 . 37 cos(
2
1
) 5 . 7 5 . 37 cos(
2
1
5 . 7 cos 5 . 37 cos
o o o o o o


4
3 2
2
3
2
1
2
2
2
1
30 cos
2
1
45 cos
2
1 +
=

= +
o o








3
2. Prove: x x
x
x
tan sin
csc
sec 1
+ =
+


( )( ) + = + = + = + =
+
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
sin
1
sin
cos
1
sin
sin
1
cos
1
sin
csc
sec
csc
1
csc
sec 1

x x
x
x
tan sin
cos
sin
+ =

3. Prove:
x x
x
x
x
2 sin
2
cos
sin
sin
cos
= +


= =
+
= + = +
x x x x
x x
x x
x x
x x
x x
x
x
x
x
cos sin
1
cos sin
sin cos
cos sin
) (sin sin
cos sin
) (cos cos
cos
sin
sin
cos
2 2



x x x 2 sin
2
cos sin 2
2
=

4. Prove:
y x
y x
y x
y x
tan tan
tan tan
) sin(
) sin(

+
=

+


=

+
=

+
=

+
) )(cos (cos
cos
sin
cos
sin
) )(cos (cos
cos
sin
cos
sin
cos
sin
cos
sin
cos
sin
cos
sin
tan tan
tan tan
y x
y
y
x
x
y x
y
y
x
x
y
y
x
x
y
y
x
x
y x
y x



) sin(
) sin(
cos sin cos sin
cos sin cos sin
y x
y x
x y y x
x y y x

+
=

+



II. Solution of Trigonometric Equations

A. Useful suggestions for solving trigonometric equations

1. Simplify the equation by clearing fractions, removing parentheses, combining
like terms, and removing radicals.
2. Express functions of a double angle, a half angle, or the sums and differences
of angles in terms of functions of the single angle; then express the different
functions of the single angle in terms of a single function of that angle.

4
3. Solve the resulting equation, whether it be linear or quadratic in nature, for all
the values of the angle in the given domain.
4. Checks the results by substituting into the original equation.

B. Examples

1. Solve for x in the interval : ) 2 , 0 [ 0 3 sin 2 = + x


2
3
sin 3 sin 2 0 3 sin 2

= = = + x x x . Get the reference angle
). 60 (
3 2
3
sin
1 o

Since is negative, x lies in the 3 x sin

rd
and 4
th

quadrants. Thus, ) 240 (
3
4
) 60 (
3
) 180 (
o o o

= + = x or = ) 360 ( 2
o
x
) 300 (
3
5
) 60 (
3
o o

= . Both of these values do check.

2. Solve for x in the interval : ) 2 , 0 [ x x x tan cos cos =

= = = 0 ) tan 1 ( cos 0 tan cos cos tan cos cos x x x x x x x x
or 0 cos = x 0 cos 0 tan 1 = = x x or 1 tan = x .
2
0 cos

= = x x ( ) 90
o
or ). 270 (
2
3
o

= x =1 tanx reference angle = ) 45 (

4
) 1 ( tan
1 o

. Since
x tan is positive, x lies in the 1
st
and 3
rd
quadrants. Thus, ) 45 (
4
o

= x or x =
). 225 (
4
5
) 45 (
4
) 180 (
o o o

= + Thus, the solutions are
2
3
,
4
5
,
2
,
4

or x =

and they all check.

3. Solve for x in the interval : ) 2 , 0 [ 1 3 cos 2 = x


2
1
3 cos 1 3 cos 2 = = x x . Since 2 0 < x , 6 0 < x . The reference angle
for 3x is ) 60 (
3 2
1
cos
1 o

and is positive in the 1 x cos

st
and 4
th
quadrants.
Thus, ) 60 (
3
3
o

= x , ) 300 (
3
5
) 60 (
3
) 360 ( 2 3
o o o

= = x , + = ) 360 ( 2 3
o
x


5
) 420 (
3
7
) 60 (
3
o o

= , ) 660 (
3
11
) 60 (
3
) 720 ( 4 3
o o o

= = x , + = ) 720 ( 4 3
o
x


) 780 (
3
13
) 60 (
3
o o

= , and = = ) 1020 (
3
17
) 60 (
3
) 1080 ( 6 3
o o o

x



9
17
,
9
13
,
9
11
,
9
7
,
9
5
,
9

or x = and they all check.

4. Solve for x in the interval : ) 2 , 0 [ x x cos 2 cos =

= = = x x x x x x x
2 2
cos 2 0 cos ) 1 cos 2 ( 0 cos 2 cos cos 2 cos

0 1 cos 2 0 ) 1 )(cos 1 cos 2 ( 0 1 cos = + = + = x x x x or = 0 1 cosx


2
1
cos = x or . 1 cos = x =
2
1
cosx reference angle is
3 2
1
cos
1

=

and

x lies in the 2
nd
or 3
rd
quadrants since is negative x cos
3
2
3

= = x or


3
4
3

= + = x . 0 1 cos = = x x . Thus,
3
4
,
3
2
, 0

or x = and they all
check.

5. Solve for x in the interval : ) 2 , 0 [ x x cos sin =

= = = 1 tan 1
cos
sin
cos sin x
x
x
x x reference angle is
4
) 1 ( tan
1

=

and

x lies in the 1
st
or 3
rd
quadrants since x tan is positive
4

= x or + = x


4
5
4

= and they both check.





6

Practice Sheet Trigonometric Identities and Equations

I. Verify the following identities:

(1) x x
x
x
tan sin
csc
sec 1
+ =
+
(2)
x
x
x
2 sin 1
2 cos
4
tan

(3)
x
x
x
sin 2
sec
2 csc = (4)
x
x x
sec 2
1 sec
2
sin
2

=

(5) x
x x
x x
3 tan
4 sin 2 sin
2 cos 4 cos
=

II. Solve the following equations for all values of x in the interval [0, 2 ) :

(1) (2) 3 sin 5 4 sin 3 = x x x x x cos 3 cos sin 2 =

(3) (4) 0 1 cos 4
2
= x 3 sin 3 cos 2
2
= + x x


(5) 1 cos sin = x x



Solution Key for Trigonometric Identities and Equations

I. (1) x x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
tan sin
1
sin
cos
1
sin
sin
1
cos
1
sin
csc
sec
csc
1
csc
sec 1
+ =

+ = + = + =
+


(2)
( )
( )
=

+
=

+
=

+
=

+
=

+
x x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
sin cos
sin cos
cos
sin
1
cos
sin
1
tan 1
tan 1
tan
4
tan 1
tan
4
tan
4
tan

x
x
x x x x
x x
x x x x
x x x x
2 sin 1
2 cos
sin sin cos 2 cos
sin cos
) sin )(cos sin (cos
) sin )(cos sin (cos
2 2
2 2

=
+

=

+



7

(3)
x
x
x
x x x x x x
x
sin 2
sec
sec
sin 2
1
cos
1
sin 2
1
cos sin 2
1
2 sin
1
2 csc = = = = =

(4)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
sec 2
1 sec
sec 2
cos
cos
cos
1
cos
2
cos
cos 1
2
cos 1
2
sin
2

=

(5) =

x x
x x
x x x x
x x x x
x x
x x
3 cos ) sin( 2
sin 3 sin 2
2
4 2
cos
2
4 2
sin 2
2
2 4
sin
2
2 4
sin 2
4 sin 2 sin
2 cos 4 cos

x
x
x
x x
x x
3 tan
3 cos
3 sin
3 cos sin 2
sin 3 sin 2
= =

II. (1)
6
11
,
6
7
2
1
sin 3 sin 5 4 sin 3

= = = x x x x and they both check.

(2)
2
3
sin cos 3 cos sin 2 = = x x x x or
3
2
,
3
0 cos

= = x x or
2
3
,
2

= x
and they all check.

(3)
3
5
,
3
4
,
3
2
,
3 2
1
cos 0 1 cos 4
2

= = = x x x and they all check.

(4) = + = + = + 0 1 sin 3 sin 2 3 sin 3 ) sin 1 ( 2 3 sin 3 cos 2
2 2 2
x x x x x x

2
1
sin 0 ) 1 )(sin 1 sin 2 ( = = x x x or
6
5
,
6
1 sin

= = x x or
2

= x and
they all check.

(5) ( ) ( ) + = + = + = = 1 sin cos 1 sin cos 1 sin 1 cos sin
2 2 2
x x x x x x x
= + + + = + 0 cos 2 cos 2 cos cos 2 1 cos 1 cos cos 2
2 2 2 2
x x x x x x x
0 cos 0 ) 1 (cos cos 2 = = + x x x or
2
3
,
2
1 cos

= = x x or = x .

2

= x or = x are the solutions because they both check. However,

2
3
= x
does not check in the original equation and thus is not a solution. [Note:

2
3
= x is an extraneous root created by squaring both sides of the original
equation.]
8