Verifying Identities Practice – Solutions (My methods in italics.

Note: There are certainly other ways to verify these.

1. 2 − sec 2 α = 1 − tan 2 α Work with the right-hand side.

(
= 1 − sec 2 θ − 1 ) (left is just as easy)
4. cos x + sin x tan x = sec x Work with the left-hand side.
= 1 − sec θ + 1
2
Use the identity sin x
= cos x + sin x ⋅ Write in terms of sine and cosine.
tan 2 α + 1 = sec 2 α cos x
= 2 − sec θ 2
cos x cos x sin x sin x
= ⋅ + ⋅ Find a common denominator.
1 cos x 1 cos x
sec θ − 1 cos 2 x sin 2 x
2. = sec θ = +
1 − cos θ Work with the left-hand side. cos x cos x
1 cos x + sin 2 x
2
−1 Write everything in terms of sine and =
= cos θ cosine. cos x
1 − cos θ 1 Pythagorean identity.
=
1 cos x
−1
cos θ cos θ Multiply by cos x to clear fractions. = sec x
= ⋅
1 − cos θ cos θ
1 − cos θ
=
(1 − cos θ ) cos θ Reduce. 5.
tan x + tan y
=
cot x + cot y Work with the left-hand side. (right
1 − tan x tan y cot x cot y − 1 is just as easy)
1
=
cos θ 1 1 Write in terms of cotangent.
+
= sec θ cot x cot y
=
1 1
1−
cot x cot y
3. sec x − cos x = sin x tan x Work with the left-hand side.
1 ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
= − cos x ⎜⎜ + ⎟⎟
cos x Write everything in terms of sine and ⎝ cot x cot y ⎠ cot x cot y
= ⋅ Multiply by cot x cot y to clear
1 cos x cosine. ⎛ 1 ⎞ cot x cot y
= − cos x ⋅ ⎜⎜1 − ⎟⎟ fractions
cos x cos x ⎝ cot x cot y ⎠
1 cos 2 x Multiply by cos x to get a common cot y + cot x
= − =
cos x cos x denominator. cot x cot y − 1
1 − cos 2 x cot x + cot y
= =
cos x cot x cot y − 1
sin 2 x Use the Pythagorean Identity.
=
cos x
sin x sin x
=
cos x
= sin x tan x
6. cos(x + y ) cos(x − y ) = cos 2 x − sin 2 y Work with the left-hand side.
= (cos x cos y − sin x sin y )(cos x cos y + sin x sin y )
Use the identities for
= cos 2 x cos 2 y − sin 2 x sin 2 y cos(x + y ) and cos(x − y ) .
( ) ( )
= cos 2 x 1 − sin 2 y − 1 − cos 2 x sin 2 y
I was stuck here for about 15
= cos x − sin y cos x − sin y + sin 2 y cos 2 x
2 2 2 2
minutes. Use the
= cos 2 x − sin 2 y Pythagorean identities
manipulated – then simplify.

Note: Problems 7 and 8 are from section 5.5.

sec 2 θ
7. sec 2θ = Work with the right-hand side.
2 − sec 2 θ
1 Write in terms of cosine
= cos 2
θ
1
2−
cos 2 θ
⎛ 1 ⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ cos θ ⎠
2
cos 2 θ Multiply by cos 2 θ to clear fractions.
= ⋅
⎛ 1 ⎞ cos 2 θ
⎜2 − ⎟
⎝ cos 2 θ ⎠
1
=
2 cos 2 θ − 1
1
= Use the identity cos 2θ = 2 cos 2 θ − 1
cos 2θ
= sec 2θ

8. (cos x + sin x )2 = 1 + sin 2 x Work with the left-hand side.

= cos x + 2 cos x sin x + sin x
2 2

= sin 2 x + cos 2 x + 2 sin x cos x Use the Pythagorean identity.

= 1 + 2 sin x cos x
= 1 + sin 2 x