Derivation that sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y),

cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y),

sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y) - cos(x) sin(y),
cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y),
sin(2x) = 2sin(x) cos(x), and
cos(2x) = cos
2
(x) sin
2
(x).



Let us begin with two right triangles stacked on top of
each other, the first with angle x and the second with angle
y. The vertices have been labeled.







A B
C
D
x
y


Next, we draw a line from D down to the segment AB and
then draw a line from C to that line. Also, we shall label
the new vertices created. They appear in red.








A B
C
D
E
F
G
x
y


n
C
.
A B
C
D
E
F
G
x
x
x
y
From Geometry, we know that angle FCE is also equal to
x. That means that angle ECD is equal to 90 - x, which i
turn makes angle CDE equal to x (because triangle DE
is a right triangle.) These are labeled in the next picture








Now, we want to find
AD
DG
, for that will be sin(x + y). Likewise,
AD
AG
will be cos(x + y).
o determine sin(x + y), notice that

T
AD
DE
AD
CB
AD
DE
AD
EG
AD
DE EG
AD
DG
+ = + =
+
= .
We have used the fact that EG is equal to CB.)
he magic happens when we multiply the first term by

(

T
AC
AC
and the second term by
CD
CD
.
We do this so that we can relate the lengths CB and DE to things that we already known,
namely sin(x), sin(y), cos(x) and cos(y).

Do this, we get the following:
CD
CD
AD
DE
AC
AC
AD
CB
+ .
ewriting, we get

R
AD
CD
CD
DE
AD
AC
AC
CB
+ , which is precisely sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y).
nd so, sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y).
or cos(x + y), notice that

A



F
AD
CE
AD
AB
AD
BG
AD
AB
AD
BG AB
AD
AG
= =

= .
Similar to above, we used the fact that BG is the same thing as EC.)
st as before, we multiply the first term by

(

Ju
AC
AC
and the second term by
CD
CD
.
his gives us the following:

T
CD
CD
AD
CE
AC
AC
AD
AB
.
ewriting, we get

R
AD
CD
CD
CE
AD
AC
AC
AB
, which is precisely cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y).
nd so, cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y).
ote: there was no mention of triangle ECF in solving for sin(x + y) or cos(x + y). Rather,

A



N
it was only used to determine that angle CDE was equal to x.

Now, from the above, we can show (rather easily) that sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y) - cos(x)
ecall that sin(x) is an odd function, ie sin(-x) = -sin(x) and that cos(x) is an even
sing that fact, we can see that
y x y x
y x y x
y x y x
=
+ =
+ =


nd so, we have shown that sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y) - cos(x) sin(y).
or cos(x - y), we do something similar.
os(
y x y x
y x y x
y x y x
+ =
=
+ =


nd so, we have shown that cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y).
o show sin(2x) = 2sin(x) cos(x), simply use sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y) but
in(
x x
x x x x
x x x
=
+ =
+ =


o show cos(2x) = cos
2
(x) sin
2
(x), simply use cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) - sin(x) sin(y)
os(
2 2
x x
x x x x
x x x
=
=
+ =

sin(y) and that cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y).

R
function, ie cos(-x) = cos(x).

U

sin(
) sin( ) cos( ) cos( ) sin(
) sin( ) cos( ) cos( ) sin(
)) ( sin( )
A



F

c
) sin( ) sin( ) cos( ) cos(
) sin( ) sin( ) cos( ) cos(
)) ( cos( )
A





T
set y = x.

s
) cos( ) sin( 2
) sin( ) cos( ) cos( ) sin(
) sin( ) 2


T
but set y = x.

c
) ( sin ) ( cos
) sin( ) sin( ) cos( ) cos(
) cos( ) 2