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BY TONY CLARK.

TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES

Part 1: Simplify each expression.


Use trigonometric identities to simplify each expression.
a) (1 + cos(x))(1 – cos(x)) (3 points)

The two expressions between the parenthesis must first be multiplied:


( 1−cosx ) . ( 1+cosx ) =1+ cosx−cosx−cos 2 x=1 cos 2 x (II)

There is a trigonometric identity that states :

Working with this expression :


 ⇒
 (I)
Using the equation (I) in (II) :
( 1−cosx ) . ( 1+cosx ) =1−cos 2 x ¿ sin2 x ⇒
( 1−cosx ) . ( 1+cosx ) sin 2 x

1 1
b) cot 2 ( x ) – cos 2 ( x ) (3 points)

Given expression
1 1

cot ( x) co s2 (x )
2

We know the trigonometric identity

co t 2 ( x )=
( )
sinx 2
cos ( x )
    
1 1
¿ −
( ) co s ( x )            
2 2
cos x
sinx
2
sin ( x ) 1
= 2 − 2       
cos x cos ( x )
2
sin ( x )−1
= 2
cos x


We know the trigonometric identity

−cos2 ( x )
= 2
cos x
= -1
Hence,  = -1

π
( )
c) sec2 2 – x [sin2(x) – sin4(x)] (3 points)

sec(x)-1/sin power 2(x)=sec power 2(x)

sec ( x )−1
2 ( x)
=sec 2 ( x )
sin

Use trigonometric identities to find exact trigonometric function


values.
d) Explain how to find the exact value of cos(75). (4 points)

with the compound angle identity

cos (A + B)=cosA cosB−sinA sinB :-


cos 75
= cos (45+30)

= cos 45 cos 30 - sin 45 sin 30

= 1/√ 2∗√ 3/2−1/√ 2∗1/2

=
√3 − 1
2√ 2 2√ 2
( √ 3−1 )
= 2 √2

−π
( )
e) Find the exact value of tan 12 . (3 points)

Ok, to get the answer without using a calculator, you first need to draw a right angled triangle with
a 30 degree angle. Using a bit of logic and tan(30)=O/A, you will figure out that tan(30)=√3/3.
tan(45)=1, this is quite famous.

You can get the answer to tan(15) by using tan(45-30) and the trig identity
(tanA-tanB)/(1+tanAtanB).

From there you can produce the result

2− √3=tan ( 45−30 ) =tan ( 15 )=tan ( 12π )

Part 2: Verify each identity.


Use trigonometric identities to verify each expression is equal.

a) ( 1sec2– (tanx )2( x ) ) = cos(2 x ) (3 points)


((1-tan^2(x))/(sec^2(x))=cos(2x)

-----------------------

(1-tan^2(x))/(sec^2(x) =

(1-tan^2(x))/(1/cos^2(x) =

(1-tan^2(x))*cos^2(x) =

cos^2(x) - sin^2(x) =

cos^2(x) - (1 - cos^2(x)) =

2cos^2(x) - 1 =

cos(2x)

sin( x )
b) 1 – cos( x ) – cot( x ) = csc( x ) (3 points)

We want to verify the identity:

We can multiply the fraction by 1 + cos(x):

Difference of Two Squares:

From the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that sin²(x) + cos²(x) = 1.


Rearranging, we acquire that sin²(x) = 1 - cos²(x). Substitute:

Cancel:
Let cot(x) = cos(x) / sin(x):

Combine Fractions:

Thus:

Hence proven.

x
()
c) csc 2( x ) – 2csc( x )cot( x ) + cot 2 ( x ) = tan2 2 (3 points)

By definition of csc and cot,

csc²(x) - 2 csc(x) cot(x) + cot²(x) = …

… = 1/sin²(x) - 2 cos(x) / sin²(x) + cos²(x) / sin²(x)

Combining fractions,

… = (1 - 2 cos(x) + cos²(x)) / sin²(x)

Factorize the numerator and use the Pythagorean identity,

cos²(x) + sin²(x) = 1,
to rewrite the denominator.

… = (1 - cos(x))² / (1 - cos²(x))

Cancel a factor of 1 - cos(x).

… = (1 - cos(x)) / (1 + cos(x))

Using the half-angle identities,

sin²(x) = (1 - cos(2x))/2

cos²(x) = (1 + cos(2x))/2

it follows that

1 - cos(x) = 2 sin²(x/2)

1 + cos(x) = 2 cos²(x/2)

and so

… = (2 sin²(x/2)) / (2 cos²(x/2))

… = sin²(x/2) / cos²(x/2)

Finally, by definition of tangent,

… = tan²(x/2)

d) [ cos ( x ) cos( y ) ] ¿ (3 points)

According to the given question we have a trigonometry identity.

To prove the above the identity, we show that R.H.S = L.H.S


So,
And from the given trigonometry identity,

Therefore,
L.H.S = R.H.S
⇒        (proved)
Hence, the given identity is proved.

e) Explain the approach you would take to verify that the following
equation is an identity and why you would choose that
approach. Do not actually verify that the equation is an identity.
(4 points)
(sin( x ) + cos( x )) 2
= csc(2 x ) + 1
sin(2 x )

The identity is given as:

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

Start by expanding the numerator

(sin²(x) + cos²(x) + sin(2x)) / sin(2x)= csc (2x) + 1

Express sin²(x) + cos²(x) as 1

(1 + sin(2x)) / sin(2x)= csc (2x) + 1


Expand the fraction

1/sin(2x) + sin(2x)/sin(2x) = csc(2x) + 1

Evaluate the quotient

csc(2x) + 1 = csc(2x) + 1

Hence, the trigonometry identity has been proved

Part 3: Solve.
Use trigonometric identities to solve each equation within the given domain.
a) –sin 2( x ) = cos(2 x ) from [ – π , π ] (3 points)

-sin²(x) = cos(2x)

Recall the half-angle identity for sine:

sin²(x) = (1 - cos(2x))/2

Then the equation can be written as

-(1 - cos(2x))/2 = cos(2x)

Solve for cos(2x):

-1/2 + 1/2 cos(2x) = cos(2x)

-1/2 = 1/2 cos(2x)

cos(2x) = -1
On the unit circle, cos(y) = -1 when y = arccos(-1) = π. Since cosine has a period of 2π, more generally
we have cos(y) = -1 for y = π + 2nπ where n is any integer. Then

2x = π + 2nπ

x = π/2 + nπ

In the interval [-π, π], you get two solutions x = -π/2 and x = π/2.

b) 3 tan( x ) = 2 sin(2 x ) from [0, 2 π ) (3 points)

Recall that the tangent function is defined by


tan(x) = sin(x)/cos(x)

Also recall the double angle identity for sine,

sin(2x) = 2 sin(x) cos(x)

Then the equation is the same as


3 sin(x)/cos(x) = 4 sin(x) cos(x)

Move everything to one side to prepare to factorize:


3 sin(x)/cos(x) - 4 sin(x) cos(x) = 0
sin(x)/cos(x) (3 - 4 cos²(x)) = 0

As long as cos(x) ≠ 0, we can omit the term in the denominator, so we're left with
sin(x) (3 - 4 cos²(x)) = 0

and so
sin(x) = 0 or 3 - 4 cos²(x) = 0
sin(x) = 0 or cos²(x) = 3/4
sin(x) = 0 or cos(x) = ±√3/2

On the interval [0, 2π),


• sin(x) = 0 for x = 0 and x = π
• cos(x) = √3/2 for x = π/6 and x = 11π/6
• cos(x) = -√3/2 for x = 5π/6 and x = 7π/6

[
π π
]
c) sec( x ) cos(3 x ) = 0 from – 2 , 2 (4 points)

Recall the triple angle identity for cosine:

cos(3x) = cos³(x) - 3 sin²(x) cos(x)

… = cos³(x) - 3 (1 - cos²(x)) cos(x)

… = 4 cos³(x) - 3 cos(x)

and the definition of secant,

sec(x) = 1/cos(x)
So we have

sec(x) cos(3x) = 0

(4 cos³(x) - 3 cos(x))/cos(x) = 0

cos(x) (4 cos²(x) - 3)/cos(x) = 0

If cos(x) ≠ 0 (this happens at the endpoints of the interval [-π/2, π/2]), we can simplify this to

4 cos²(x) - 3 = 0

cos²(x) = 3/4

cos(x) = ±√3/2

But since -π/2 < x < π/2, we know cos(x) > 0, so we ignore the negative case:

cos(x) = √3/2

==> x = π/6 and x = -π/6

d) 1 – cos( x ) = 2 – 2 sin 2( x ) from ( – π , π ) (4 points)

Recall that
cos²(x) + sin²(x) = 1

Then in the equation

1 - cos(x) = 2 - 2 sin²(x)

we can rewrite as

1 - cos(x) = 2 (1 - sin²(x))

1 - cos(x) = 2 cos²(x)

2 cos²(x) + cos(x) - 1 = 0

Factorize the left side as

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

so that

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

cos(x) = 1/2 or cos(x) = -1

On the interval (-π, π) (note that this interval is open, so we don't allow x = π), we have

• cos(x) = 1/2 for x = π/3 and x = -π/3

• cos(x) = -1 for x = π
e) 4cos 4 ( x ) – 5cos2 ( x ) + 1 = 0 from [0, 2 π ) (4 points)

4cos⁴(x) - 5cos²(x) + 1 = 0

(u² - 1)(4u² - 1) = 0

u² - 1 = 0

u² = 1

u=±1

cos x = ± 1

=> x = 0 or π

4u² - 1 = 0

4u² = 1

u² = 1/4

u = ± 1/2

cos x = ± 1/2

=> x = π/3 or 4π/3

Therefore, x = {0, π/3, π, 4π/3}.

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