Use the figure to derive the formulas for sin theta/2, cos

theta/2, tan theta/2 where theta is an acute angle.

Question:
Use the figure to derive the formulas for sin where θ is an acute
θ θ θ
,   cos ,  and tan
2 2 2

angle.

Half-angle identities of trigonometric ratios:

This problem involves deriving the half-angle formulae of trigonometric ratios. From basic
trigonometry we know that, sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + sin B cos A

And cos(A + B) = cos A cos B − sin A sin B

 θ
Using A = B =
2

θ θ
We can find the equations to find the value of sin and cos .
2 2

θ sin θ/2
And we know that tan =
2 cos θ/2

Thus we can find the values of all the half-angle trigonometric ratios.

Answer and Explanation:

Given a figure using which we need to derive the formulas for the trigonometric ratios of
half-angles.

Using the right-angled triangle we can say that,

θ sin θ
tan ( ) =
2 1 + cos θ

The length of the hypotenuse is given by,

2 2
L = √sin θ + (1 + cos θ) = √1 + 1 + 2 cos θ

Hence we have,

L = √2√1 + cos θ

Hence,
θ sin θ
sin ( ) =
2 √2√1 + cos θ

Also we have,

θ 1 + cos θ √1 + cos θ
cos ( ) = =
2 √2
√2√1 + cos θ

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