7.

2 Compound Angle Formulas

GOAL

Verify and use compound angle formulas.

INVESTIGATE the Math

compound angle The cosine of the compound angle (a 2 b) can be expressed in terms
an angle that is created by of the sines and cosines of a and b. Consider the following unit circle
adding or subtracting two diagram:
or more angles
(cos a, sin a) 1 y
c
a–b (cos b, sin b)
a
b x
–1 0 1

–1

By the cosine law, c 2 5 12 1 12 2 2(1)(1)cos (a 2 b)

1 c 2 5 2 2 2 cos (a 2 b)
However, c has endpoints of (cos a, sin a) and (cos b, sin b).
By the distance formula, c 5 "(sin a 2 sin b) 2 1 (cos a 2 cos b) 2
Squaring both sides,
c 2 5 (sin a 2 sin b) 2 1 (cos a 2 cos b) 2
c 2 5 sin2 a 2 2 sin a sin b 1 sin2 b 1 cos2 a 2 2 cos a cos b 1 cos2 b
c 2 5 sin2 a 1 cos2 a 2 2 sin a sin b 2 2 cos a cos b 1 sin2 b 1 cos2 b
c 2 5 1 2 2 sin a sin b 2 2 cos a cos b 1 1
2
2 c 5 2 2 2 sin a sin b 2 2 cos a cos b

Equating 1 and 2 ,
2 2 2 cos (a 2 b) 5 2 2 2 sin a sin b 2 2 cos a cos b
Solving for cos (a 2 b),
cos (a 2 b) 5 sin a sin b 1 cos a cos b

? How can other formulas be developed to relate the primary

trigonometric ratios of a compound angle to the trigonometric
ratios of each angle in the compound angle?

394 7.2 Compound Angle Formulas NEL

 7.2
A. Use a calculator and the special triangles to verify that the subtraction
p
formula for cosine works if a 5 45° and b 5 30°. Repeat for a 5 3
p
and b 5 6 .

B. Use the subtraction formula for cosine to obtain an addition formula

for cosine, cos (a 1 b), as follows:
i) Rewrite the compound angle equation for cos (a 2 b) .
ii) Replace b with (2b), and derive an equation for cos (a 1 b).
iii) Simplify this equation, using your knowledge of even and odd
functions, to write sin (2b) in terms of sin b, and cos (2b) in
terms of cos b.
C. Use a calculator and the special triangles to verify your addition
p p
formula for cosine if a 5 3 and b 5 4 .
D. To find an addition formula for sine, sin (a 1 b), use the cofunction
p
identity sin u 5 cos Q 2 2 uR.
i) Write sin (a 1 b) 5 cos Q 2 (a 1 b)R 5 cos QQ 2 2 aR 2 bR.
p p
2
ii) Use the subtraction formula for cosine to expand and simplify
this formula.
E. Use a calculator and the special triangles to verify your addition
p p
formula for sine by substituting a 5 3 and b 5 4 .
F. Determine and verify a subtraction formula for sine, sin (a 2 b),
using the addition formula you found in part D and the strategy
you used in part B.
sin u
G. Recall that tan u 5 cos u. Use this identity to determine addition and
subtraction formulas for tan (a 1 b) and tan (a 2 b). Use a
p
calculator and the special triangles to verify your formulas if a 5 6
p
and b 5 4 .
H. Make a list of all the compound angle formulas that you determined.

Reflecting
I. How did you use equivalent trigonometric expressions to simplify
formulas in parts B, D, F, and G?
J. How did you use the special triangles to verify the addition and
subtraction formulas you determined?

NEL Chapter 7 395

 APPLY the Math
EXAMPLE 1 Selecting a strategy to determine the exact
value of a trigonometric ratio
Determine the exact value of
b) tan a2 b
5p
a) cos (15°)
12
Solution
a) cos (15°) 15° 5 45° 2 30°, so 15° can
5 (cos 45° 2 30°) be expressed as the compound
angle (45° 2 30°).
cos (a 2 b)
5 (cos a) (cos b) 1 (sin a) (sin b)
Use the subtraction formula
5 (cos 45°) (cos 30°) 1 (sin 45°) (sin 30°)
for cosine to expand this
!3
5a ba b1a ba b
1 1 1 expression where a 5 45°
!2 2 !2 2 and b 5 30°. Then use the
"3 1 1 special triangles to evaluate it.
5
2!2
5p 25(180°)
2 12 5 5 275°
b) tan a2 b
5p 12
12 275° 5 245° 2 30°

5 tan a2 2 b
p p 5p
So 2 12 can be expressed as
4 6 the compound angle
Q2 4 2 6 R.
p p

tan (a 2 b)
tan a 2 tan b
5
1 1 tan a tan b
Use the subtraction formula

tan Q2 4 R 2 tan Q 6 R
p p for tangent to expand this
p
expression where a 5 2 4
5
1 1 tan Q2 4 Rtan Q 6 R
p p p
and b 5 6 . Then use the
special triangles to evaluate it.
1
21 2 ! 3
5 Simplify.
1 1 (21) Q R
1
!3
2 !3 2 1
5 !3 Divide by multiplying by
!3 2 1 the reciprocal.
!3
2 !3 2 1
!3 2 1
5

396 7.2 Compound Angle Formulas NEL

 7.2
Compound angle formulas can be used, both forward and backward, to
evaluate and simplify trigonometric expressions.

EXAMPLE 2 Using compound angle formulas to simplify

trigonometric expressions
Simplify each expression.
7p 5p 7p 5p
a) cos cos 1 sin sin
12 12 12 12
b) sin 2x cos x 2 cos 2x sin x

Solution
a) cos (a 2 b)
The expression given is the right
5 (cos a) (cos b) 1 (sin a) (sin b) side of the subtraction formula
7p
for cosine, where a 5 12 and
5p
b 5 12 .

7p 5p 7p 5p
cos cos 1 sin sin
12 12 12 12

5 cos a b
7p 5p 7p 5p 2p
2 2 5
12 12 12 12 12
p
p 5
5 cos 6
6
"3
Use a special triangle to
p
5 evaluate cos 6 .
2

b) sin (a 2 b) The expression given is the

right side of the subtraction
5 (sin a) (cos b) 2 (cos a) (sin b)
formula for sine, where
a 5 2x and b 5 x.

sin 2x cos x 2 cos 2x sin x

5 sin (2x 2 x)
5 sin x

By expressing an angle as a sum or difference of angles in the special triangles,

exact values of other angles can be determined.

NEL Chapter 7 397

 EXAMPLE 3 Calculating trigonometric ratios of
compound angles
3
Evaluate sin (a 1 b), where a and b are obtuse angles; sin a 5 5
5
and sin b 5 13.

Solution

3 y 5 y Use the Pythagorean

sin a 5 5 and sin b 5 5 theorem to determine the
5 r 13 r
2 2 2 x-coordinate of each point
x 1y 5r x 1 y 5 r2
2 2
on the terminal arm. Since
x 2 1 32 5 52 x 2 1 52 5 132 a and b are obtuse angles,
2
x 5 25 2 9 x 2 5 169 2 25 their terminal arms lie in
x 5 6"16 x 5 6"144 the second quadrant,
p
x 5 24 x 5 212 where 2 , a , p and
p
2
, b , p. In the second
quadrant, x must be
negative.
Sketch each angle in standard position.
y y
P(–4, 3)
P(–12, 5)

y=3 r=5 r = 13
a x y=5 b x
x = –4 x = –12

To determine sin (a 1 b),

x 4 x 12 the sine and cosine of
cos a 5 5 2 cos b 5 5 2
r 5 r 13 both a and b are required.
Determine the cosine of
a and b.

sin (a 1 b) 5 (sin a) (cos b) 1 (cos a) (sin b) Substitute the required

5 a b a2 b 1 a2 b a b
3 12 4 5 trigonometric ratios into
5 13 5 13 the compound angle
formula for sin (a 1 b),
36 20
52 2 and then evaluate.
65 65
56
52
65

Compound angle formulas can also be used to prove the equivalence of

trigonometric expressions.

398 7.2 Compound Angle Formulas NEL

 7.2

EXAMPLE 4 Identifying equivalent trigonometric

expressions using compound angle formulas

Use compound angle formulas to show that sin (x 2 p), sin (x 1 p), and
cos Qx 1 2 R are equivalent trigonometric expressions.
p

Solution
Use the subtraction
sin (x 2 p) 5 (sin x) (cos p) 2 (cos x) (sin p)
formula for sine.
5 (sin x) (21) 2 (cos x) (0)
5 2sin x
Use the addition
sin (x 1 p) 5 (sin x) (cos p) 1 (cos x) (sin p)
formula for sine.
5 (sin x) (21) 1 (cos x) (0)
5 2sin x

cos ax 1 b 5 (cos x) acos b 2 (sin x) asin b

p p
2 2
5 (cos x) (0) 2 (sin x) (1)
5 2sin x
p Use the addition
2 formula for cosine.
They are all

sin (x 2 p) 5 sin (x 1 p) 5 cos ax 1 b

p equivalent to the
2 same expression,
2sin x.

In Summary
Key Idea
• The trigonometric ratios of compound angles are related to the
trigonometric ratios of their component angles by the following compound
angle formulas.
Addition Formulas Subtraction Formulas
sin (a 1 b) 5 sin a cos b 1 cos a sin b sin (a 2 b) 5 sin a cos b 2 cos a sin b
cos (a 1 b) 5 cos a cos b 2 sin a sin b cos (a 2 b) 5 cos a cos b 1 sin a sin b
tan a 1 tan b tan a 2 tan b
tan (a 1 b) 5 tan (a 2 b) 5
1 2 tan a tan b 1 1 tan a tan b

Need to Know
• You can use compound angle formulas to obtain exact values for trigonometric
ratios.
• You can use compound angle formulas to show that some trigonometric
expressions are equivalent.

NEL Chapter 7 399

 CHECK Your Understanding
1. Rewrite each expression as a single trigonometric ratio.
a) sin a cos 2a 1 cos a sin 2a
b) cos 4x cos 3x 2 sin 4x sin 3x

2. Rewrite each expression as a single trigonometric ratio, and then

evaluate the ratio.
tan 170° 2 tan 110°
a)
1 1 tan 170° tan 110°
5p p 5p p
b) cos cos 1 sin sin
12 12 12 12
3. Express each angle as a compound angle, using a pair of angles
from the special triangles.
p
a) 75° c) 2 e) 105°
6
p 5p
b) 215° d) f)
12 6
4. Determine the exact value of each trigonometric ratio.
5p
a) sin 75° c) tan e) cos 105°
12

d) sin a2 b
p 23p
b) cos 15° f ) tan
12 12

PRACTISING
5. Use the appropriate compound angle formula to determine the exact
K
value of each expression.

a) sin ap 1 b c) tan a e) tan a 2 b

p p p p
1 pb
6 4 3 6

b) cos ap 2 b d) sin a2 1 b f ) cos a 1 b

p p p p p
4 2 3 2 3
6. Use the appropriate compound angle formula to create an equivalent
expression.
c) cos ax 1 b
p
a) sin (p 1 x) e) sin (x 2 p)
2
b) cos ax 1 b
3p
d) tan (x 1 p) f ) tan (2p 2 x)
2
7. Use transformations to explain why each expression you created
in question 6 is equivalent to the given expression.

400 7.2 Compound Angle Formulas NEL

 7.2
8. Determine the exact value of each trigonometric ratio.
11p 7p
a) cos 75° c) cos e) tan
12 12
13p 25p
b) tan (215°) d) sin f ) tan
12 12
4 12 p 3p
9. If sin x 5 and sin y 5 2 13, 0 , x , 2 , 2 , y , 2p, evaluate
5
a) cos (x 1 y) c) cos (x 2 y) e) tan (x 1 y)
b) sin (x 1 y) d) sin (x 2 y) f ) tan (x 2 y)
7
10. a and b are acute angles in quadrant I, with sin a 5 and
A
25
5
cos b 5 13. Without using a calculator, determine the values of
sin (a 1 b) and tan (a 1 b).
11. Use compound angle formulas to verify each of the following
cofunction identities.

a) sin x 5 cos a 2 xb b) cos x 5 sin a

p p
2 xb
2 2
12. Simplify each expression.

a) sin (p 1 x) 1 sin (p 2 x) b) cos ax 1 b 2 sin ax 1 b

p p
3 6
sin ( f 1 g) 1 sin ( f 2 g)
13. Simplify .
T
cos ( f 1 g) 1 cos ( f 2 g)

14. Create a flow chart to show how you would evaluate cos (a 1 b),
C
given the values of sin a and sin b, if both a and bP S 0, 2 T .
p

15. List the compound angle formulas you used in this lesson, and look
for similarities and differences. Explain how you can use these
similarities and differences to help you remember the formulas.

Extending
16. Prove sin C 1 sin D 5 2 sin a b cos a b.
C1D C2D
2 2
17. Determine cot (x 1 y) in terms of cot x and cot y.

18. Prove cos C 1 cos D 5 2 cos a b cos a b.

C1D C2D
2 2

19. Prove cos C 2 cos D 5 22 sin a b sin a b.

C1D C2D
2 2

NEL Chapter 7 401