Introduction

This page demonstrates equalities between trigonometric functions. The functions involved
will be sine, cosine, secant, cosecant, tangent and cotangent.

We do not prove trigonometric identities, that is, the important equalities of trigonometry
such as the fundamental identity of trigonometry.

Note: in the equalities the values that the variable x cannot take are not specified. That is,
values of x for which the equality is false (null denominators) are not excluded.

We recall some definitions:

Problems solved

Problem 1

Prove the following equality:

Solution

We write the fraction on the left side of the equality as the sum of two fractions of equal
denominator:
As the tangent of x is

Its inverse is

Substituting in the last expression proves the equality:

Problem 2

Prove the following equality:

Solution

The cotangent of x is defined as

We write the tangent as the quotient of sine and cosine:

Therefore, if we substitute the cotangent of the left side of the equality for the obtained
expression, we have
This demonstrates the equality.

Problem 3

Prove the following equality:

Solution

The cosecant is defined as

And the secant as

Substitute these expressions on the left-hand side of equality:

Note: the last identity is due to the fundamental trigonometric identity.

Problem 4

Prove the following equality:

Solution

The tangent is defined as

We substitute this expression on the left-hand side of the equation:

In the last equality we have applied the definition of the secant.

Problem 5

Prove the following equality:

Solution

The definitions of the secant, the tangent and the cotangent are as follows

We substitute them in the left side of the equality and operate:

Problem 6

Prove the following equality:

Solution

Substitute the cosecant and cotangent on the left-hand side:

Problem 7

Prove that the product of the tangent, the cosine and the cosecant of x is equal to 1, i.e,

Solution

The definitions of tangent and cosecant are as follows

Substituting in the product and simplifying we obtain that the product is 1: