1

Math1014 Calculus II
Brief Summary of Some Trigonometric Identities (1, tan θ )

“Pythagoras Theorem”
(cos θ , sin θ )
1
cos2 θ + sin2 θ = 1
←→ θ
1 + tan2 θ = sec2 θ

Angle Sum/Difference Formulas vs Product To Sum/Difference Formula

sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + sin B cos A 1

sin A cos B = [sin(A − B) + sin(A + B)]
2
sin(A − B) = sin A cos B − sin B cos A 1
←→ cos A cos B = [cos(A − B) + cos(A + B)]
cos(A + B) = cos A cos B − sinA sin B 2
1
sin A sin B = [cos(A − B) − cos(A + B)]
cos(A − B) = cos A cos B + sinA sin B 2

Double-Angle Formulas vs Half-Angle Formula

Taking A = B in the angle sum formulas, we have the following identities:

sin 2A = 2 sin A cos B

cos 2A = cos2 A − sin2 A

1 + cos2A
←→ cos2 A =
= 2 cos2 A − 1 2
1 − cos2A
= 1 − 2 sin2 A sin2 A =
2

Exercise: Note that PR = QS in the following figure, since the two triangles are differed just by a rotation. Check that

the angle sum formula cos(A + B) = cos A cos B − sinA sin B is the same as the distance identity PR2 = QS2 :

[cos A − cos(−B)]2 + [sin A − sin(−B)]2 = [cos(A + B) − 1)2 + (sin(A + B) − 0]2

Q:(cos A,sin A)
R:(cos(A+B),sin(A+B))

P(1,0)

S:(cos(−B),sin(−B))

The other angle sum/difference formulas can be derived from this one, either by replacing B by −B or by using
sin(θ ) = cos( π2 − θ ), or just by differentiation.)