Ch11 PDF
Ch11 PDF
Ch11 PDF
Trigonometric Identities
and Equations
x
IC ^ 6 c i
-1
A lthough it doesn’t look like it, Figure 1 above shows the graphs of two func-
tions, namely
CHAPTER OUTLINE
11.1 Introduction to Identities
1 sin4 x 11.2 Proving Identities
y cos2 x and y
1 sin2 x 11.3 Sum and Difference
Although these two functions look quite different from one another, they are in fact Formulas
the same function. This means that, for all values of x, 11.4 Double-Angle and
Half-Angle Formulas
1 sin4 x
cos2 x 11.5 Solving Trigonometric
1 sin2 x Equations
This last expression is an identity, and identities are one of the topics we will study
in this chapter.
795
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In this section, we will turn our attention to identities. In algebra, statements such
as 2x x x, x3 x x x, and x(4x) 14 are called identities. They are iden-
tities because they are true for all replacements of the variable for which they are
defined.
The eight basic trigonometric identities are listed in Table 1. As we will see,
they are all derived from the definition of the trigonometric functions. Since many
of the trigonometric identities have more than one form, we list the basic identity
first and then give the most common equivalent forms.
TABLE 1
Basic Identities Common Equivalent Forms
1 1
Reciprocal csc sin
sin csc
1 1
sec cos
cos sec
1 1
cot tan
tan cot
sin
Ratio tan
cos
cos
cot
sin
Pythagorean cos2 sin2 1 sin2 1 cos2
1 tan2 sec2 sin √1 cos2
1 cot2 csc2 cos2 1 sin2
cos √1 sin2
Reciprocal Identities
Note that, in Table 1, the eight basic identities are grouped in categories. For exam-
ple, since csc 1(sin ), cosecant and sine must be reciprocals. It is for this
reason that we call the identities in this category y
reciprocal identities.
As we mentioned above, the eight basic
identities are all derived from the definition of the (x, y)
six trigonometric functions. To derive the first
reciprocal identity, we use the definition of sin r
y
to write
θ
1 1 r x
csc 0
sin y/r y x
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Note that we can write this same relationship between sin and csc as
1
sin
csc
because
1 1 y
sin
csc r/y r
The first identity we wrote, csc 1(sin ), is the basic identity. The second one,
sin 1(csc ), is an equivalent form of the first one.
The other reciprocal identities and their common equivalent forms are derived
in a similar manner.
Examples 1 – 6 show how we use the reciprocal identities to find the value of
one trigonometric function, given the value of its reciprocal.
Examples
3 5
1. If sin , then csc , because
5 3
1 1 5
csc 3
sin 3
5
√3 2
2. If cos , then sec .
2 √3
(Remember: Reciprocals always have the same algebraic sign.)
1
3. If tan 2, then cot .
2
1
4. If csc a, then sin .
a
5. If sec 1, then cos 1.
6. If cot 1, then tan 1.
Ratio Identities y
Unlike the reciprocal identities, the ratio identi-
ties do not have any common equivalent forms. (x, y)
Here is how we derive the ratio identity for tan :
sin yr y r
y
tan
cos xr x
θ
x
0
x
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Example 7 3 4
If sin and cos , find tan and cot .
5 5
Solution Using the ratio identities we have
3
sin 3
tan 45
cos 4
5
4
cos 4
cot 53
sin 5 3
Note that, once we found tan , we could have used a reciprocal identity to find
cot :
1 1 4
cot 3
tan 4 3
Pythagorean Identities
The identity cos2 sin2 1 is called a Pythagorean identity because it is de-
rived from the Pythagorean Theorem. Recall from the definition of sin and cos
that if (x, y) is a point on the terminal side of and r is the distance to (x, y) from
the origin, the relationship between x, y, and r is x2 y2 r2. This relationship
comes from the Pythagorean Theorem. Here is how we use it to derive the first
Pythagorean identity.
x2 y2 r 2
x2 y2
1 Divide each side by r 2.
r2 r2
x 2 y 2
1 Property of exponents.
r r
(cos )2 (sin )2 1 Definition of sin and cos
cos2 sin2 1 Notation
There are four very useful equivalent forms of the first Pythagorean identity.
Two of the forms occur when we solve cos2 sin2 1 for cos , while the
other two forms are the result of solving for sin .
Solving cos2 sin2 1 for cos , we have
cos2 sin2 1
cos2 1 sin2 Add sin2 to each side.
cos √1 sin2 Take the square root of each side.
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Example 8 3
If sin and terminates in quadrant II, find cos .
5
Solution We can obtain cos from sin by using the identity
cos √1 sin2
If sin 3, the identity becomes
5
√
3 2
cos 1 Substitute 35 for sin .
5
√
9
1 Square 3 to get 9
25 5 25
√
16
Subtract.
25
Take the square root of the
4 numerator and denominator
separately.
5
Now we know that cos is either 4 or 4. Looking back to the original
5 5
statement of the problem, however, we see that terminates in quadrant II; there-
fore, cos must be negative.
4
cos
5
Next, we find sin . Since terminates in QIV, sin will be negative. Using
one of the equivalent forms of the Pythagorean identity, we have
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√ 12
2
1 Substitute 12 for cos .
√
1
1 Square 21 to get 14
4
√
3
Subtract.
4
Take the square root of the
√3 numerator and denominator
2 separately.
Now that we have sin and cos , we can find tan by using a ratio identity.
sin √3/2
tan √3
cos 1/2
Cot and csc are the reciprocals of tan and sin , respectively. Therefore,
1 1 1 2
cot csc
tan √3 sin √3
Here are all six ratios together:
√3 2
sin csc
2 √3
1
cos sec 2
2
1
tan √3 cot
√3
Now we need to replace cos with an expression involving only sin . Since
cos √1 sin2 , we have
sin
tan
cos
sin
√1 sin2
sin
√1 sin2
This last expression is equivalent to tan and is written in terms of sin only. (In a
problem like this it is okay to include numbers and algebraic symbols with sin —
just no other trigonometric functions.)
Here is another example. This one involves simplification of the product of two
trigonometric functions.
Example 11 Write sec tan in terms of sin and cos , and then
simplify.
Note The notation sec tan Solution Since sec 1(cos ) and tan (sin )(cos ), we have
means sec tan .
1 sin
sec tan
cos cos
sin
cos2
Example 12 1 1
Add .
sin cos
1
Solution We can add these two expressions in the same way we would add 3
1
and 4, by first finding a least common denominator, and then writing each expres-
sion again with the LCD for its denominator.
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1 1 1 cos 1 sin
The LCD is
sin cos sin cos cos sin sin cos .
cos sin
sin cos cos sin
cos sin
sin cos
Use the reciprocal identities in the following problems. 6. If cot b (b 0), find tan .
4 Use a ratio identity to find tan if:
1. If sin , find csc .
5 3 4
7. sin and cos
5 5
2. If cos √32, find sec .
8. sin 2√5 and cos 1√5
3. If sec 2, find cos .
Use a ratio identity to find cot if:
13 5 12
4. If csc , find sin . 9. sin and cos
12 13 13
5. If tan a (a 0), find cot . 10. sin 2√13 and cos 3√13
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Use the equivalent forms of the Pythagorean identity on Add and subtract as indicated. Then simplify your
Problems 11 – 20. answers if possible. Leave all answers in terms of sin
3 andor cos .
11. Find sin if cos and terminates in QI.
5 sin 1 cos sin
41. 42.
5 cos sin sin cos
12. Find sin if cos and terminates in QI.
13 1 1 1 1
43. 44.
13. Find cos if sin
1
and terminates in QII. sin cos cos sin
3 1 1
14. Find cos if sin √32 and terminates in QII. 45. sin 46. cos
cos sin
4
15. If sin and terminates in QIII, find cos . 1 1
5 47. sin 48. cos
sin cos
4
16. If sin and terminates in QIV, find cos . Multiply.
5
49. (sin 4)(sin 3)
17. If cos √32 and terminates in QI, find sin .
50. (cos 2)(cos 5)
1
18. If cos and terminates in QII, find sin . 51. (2 cos 3)(4 cos 5)
2
19. If sin 1√5 and QII, find cos . 52. (3 sin 2)(5 sin 4)
20. If cos 1√10 and QIII, find sin . 53. (1 sin )(1 sin )
Find the remaining trigonometric ratios of if: 54. (1 cos )(1 cos )
12 55. (1 tan )(1 tan )
21. cos and terminates in QI
13
56. (1 cot )(1 cot )
12
22. sin and terminates in QI 57. (sin cos )2 58. (cos sin )2
13
59. (sin 4)2 60. (cos 2)2
1
23. sin and terminates in QIV
2
Review Problems
1
24. cos and terminates in QIII The problems that follow review material we covered in
3 Section 10.1.
25. cos 2√13 and QIV Convert to radian measure.
26. sin 3√10 and QII
61. 120° 62. 330°
27. sec 3 and QIII
63. 135° 64. 270°
28. sec 4 and QII
Convert to degree measure.
Write each of the following in terms of sin and cos ,
and then simplify if possible: 5
65. 66.
29. csc cot 30. sec cot 6 6
31. csc tan 32. sec tan csc 5 4
67. 68.
4 3
sec csc
33. 34.
csc sec Extending the Concepts
sin cos Recall from algebra that the slope of the line through
35. 36.
csc sec (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is
37. tan sec 38. cot csc y2 y1
39. sin cot cos 40. cos tan sin m
x2 x1
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It is the change in the y-coordinates divided by the change 71. Find the slope of the line y mx.
in the x-coordinates. 72. Find tan if is the angle formed by the line y mx
69. The line y 3x passes through the points (0, 0) and and the positive x-axis. (See Figure 2.)
(1, 3). Find its slope.
70. Suppose the angle formed by the line y 3x and the y
positive x-axis is . Find the tangent of . (See
Figure 1.)
mx
y y=
(1, m)
3x
y=
(1, 3) θ
x
0
FIGURE 2
θ
x
0
FIGURE 1
Next we want to use the eight basic identities and their equivalent forms to verify
other trigonometric identities. To prove (or verify) that a trigonometric identity is
true, we use trigonometric substitutions and algebraic manipulations to either:
1. Transform the right side into the left side.
Or:
2. Transform the left side into the right side.
The main thing to remember in proving identities is to work on each side of the
identity separately. We do not want to use properties from algebra that involve both
sides of the identity — such as the addition property of equality. We prove identities
in order to develop the ability to transform one trigonometric expression into an-
other. When we encounter problems in other courses that require the use of the
techniques used to verify identities, we usually find that the solution to these prob-
lems hinges upon transforming an expression containing trigonometric functions
into a less complicated expression. In these cases, we do not usually have an equal
sign to work with.
cos
sin cot sin Ratio identity
sin
sin cos
Multiply.
sin
cos Divide out common factor sin .
Before we go on to the next example, let’s list some guidelines that may be
useful in learning how to prove identities.
Probably the best advice is to remember that these are simply guidelines. The
best way to become proficient at proving trigonometric identities is to practice. The
more identities you prove, the more you will be able to prove and the more confi-
dent you will become. Don’t be afraid to stop and start over if you don’t seem to be
getting anywhere. With most identities, there are a number of different proofs that
will lead to the same result. Some of the proofs will be longer than others.
Example 4 sin2
Prove: 1 cos .
1 cos
Proof We begin by applying an alternative form of the Pythagorean identity to
the right side to write sin2 as 1 cos2 . Then we factor 1 cos2 and reduce to
lowest terms.
sin2 1 cos2
Pythagorean identity
1 cos 1 cos
(1 cos )(1 cos )
Factor.
1 cos
1 cos Reduce.
39.
1 sin t cos t
Extending the Concepts
sin t 1 cos t
40. Prove each identity.
1 cos t sin t
sec4 y tan4 y
(1 sin t) 2 1 sin t 55. 1
41. sec2 y tan2 y
cos2 t 1 sin t
csc2 y cot2 y
sin2 t 1 cos t 56. 1
42. csc4 y cot4 y
(1 cos t)2 1 cos t
sin3 A 8
sec 1 tan 57. sin2 A 2 sin A 4
43. sin A 2
tan sec 1
1 cos3 A
csc 1 cot 58. cos2 A cos A 1
44. 1 cos A
cot csc 1
1 tan3 t
45. Show that sin(A B) is, in general, not equal to 59. sec2 t tan t
1 tan t
sin A sin B by substituting 30
for A and 60
for B
in both expressions and simplifying. 1 cot3 t
60. csc2 t cot t
46. Show that sin 2x 2 sin x by substituting 30
for x 1 cot t
and then simplifying both sides. sec B 1 sin B
61.
Review Problems sin B 1 cos3 B
1 cos B sin3 B
The problems that follow review material we covered in 62.
Section 10.2. Reviewing these problems will help you csc B 1 cos B
with some of the material in the next section.
B 60
in the formula above and then simplify each side.
sin(30
60
) sin 30
sin 60
1 √3
sin 90
2 2
1 √3
1
2
The formula just doesn’t work. The next question is, what are the formulas for
sin(A B) and cos(A B)? The answer to that question is what this section is all
about. Let’s start by deriving the formula for cos(A B).
We begin by drawing A in standard position and then adding B and B to it.
These angles are shown in Figure 1 in relation to the unit circle. The unit circle is
the circle with its center at the origin and with a radius of 1. Since the radius of the
unit circle is 1, the point through which the terminal side of A passes will have co-
ordinates (cos A, sin A). [If P2 in Figure 1 has coordinates (x, y), then by the defini-
tion of sin A, cos A, and the unit circle, cos A xr x1 x and sin A yr
y1 y. Therefore, (x, y) (cos A, sin A).] The points on the unit circle through
which the terminal sides of the other angles in Figure 1 pass are found in the same
manner.
P1
(cos (A + B), sin (A + B))
P2(cos A, sin A)
A+B
B
A P3(1, 0)
–B
FIGURE 1
To derive the formula for cos(A B), we simply have to see that line segment
P1P3 is equal to line segment P2P4. (From geometry, they are chords cut off by
equal central angles.)
P1 P3 P2 P4
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√2 √3 √2 1
2 2 2 2
√6 √2
4