Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

DE MOIVRE’S THEOREM:
TRIG IDENTITIES
ALGEBRA 8
INU0114/514 (MATHS 1)

Dr Adrian Jannetta MIMA CMath FRAS

De Moivre’s Theorem: trig identities 1 / 13 Adrian Jannetta

Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Objectives

This presentation will cover the following:

• Recap of Binomial expansions and De Moivre’s theorem

• Using De Moivre’s theorem to produce trig identities
• Express multiple angle functions (e.g. sin4θ ) in terms of
single angle functions sin θ and cos θ .
• Express powers of functions sin4 θ in terms of multiple angle
functions (e.g. cos 4θ ).

In this context De Moivre’s theorem is a mathematical tool which

shows us relationships between trig functions. It provides an
alternative (often easier) way of simplifying trig functions that we
might need to apply calculus to (e.g. integration).

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Recap: De Moivre’s Theorem

De Moivre’s theorem is a relationship between complex numbers

and trigonometry.

(cos θ + i sin θ )n = cos nθ + i sin nθ

Previously we used it to evaluate powers and nth roots of a number.

By expanding the LHS and comparing real and imaginary
coefficients it is possible to derive trig identities for powers of sine
and cosine in terms of compound angles.
We will study this application in next.

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Recap: Binomial expansions

Expanding brackets
1 4
 ‹
Use the binomial theorem to expand x +
x

Recall that the binomial coefficients n = 4 are 1, 4, 6, 4 and 1.

‹4  ‹0  ‹1  ‹2
1 1 1 1

4 3 2
x+ = 1(x ) + 4(x ) + 6(x )
x x x x
 ‹3  ‹4
1 1
+4(x1 ) + 1(x0 )
x x
1 4 4 1
 ‹
∴ x+ = x4 + 4x2 + 6 + +
x x2 x4

We will need the binomial series for our work with De Moivre’s
theorem and trig identities.
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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

De Moivre’s theorem and trig identities

Consider De Moivre’s theore for the case n = 2
(cos θ + i sin θ )2 = cos 2θ + i sin 2θ
If we expand the brackets on the LHS:
(cos θ ) + (i sin θ )2 + 2i sin θ cos θ = cos 2θ + i sin 2θ
2 2
cos θ − sin θ + 2i sin θ cos θ = cos 2θ + i sin 2θ
If we compare the real parts of both sides:
cos2 θ − sin2 θ = cos 2θ (1)
Comparing the imaginary parts gives us
2 sin θ cos θ = sin 2θ (2)
Equations (1) and (2) are trig identities which you might recognise
from past work.
De Moivre’s theorem provides a way of generating trig identities.
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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Multiple angle to single angle

Express cos 3θ in terms of sinθ and cos θ .

Construct an equation from De Moivre’s theorem containing the angle

3θ
cos 3θ + i sin3θ = (cos θ + i sinθ )3
We are going to be writing a lot of ‘sines’ and ‘cosines’: so put c = cos θ
and s = sin θ .
Expand the RHS using binomial theorem:

cos 3θ + i sin3θ = (c + is)3

= c3 + 3c2 (is) + 3c(is)2 + (is)3
= c3 + 3c2 si + 3cs2 i2 + s3 i3

Simplify the powers of i wherever possible:

cos 3θ + i sin3θ = c3 + 3c2 si − 3cs2 − s3 i

= c3 − 3cs2 + (3c2 s − s3 )i

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

We grouped the real and imaginary parts on the RHS.

Equating the real part on each side then we get the relationship we
need:
cos 3θ ≡ cos3 θ − 3 cos θ sin2 θ

We didn’t need it, but the method also gives us another identity for
free!
Compare the imaginary parts on both sides of the equation to get:

sin 3θ ≡ 3 cos2 θ sin θ − sin3 θ

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Useful formulae
A complex number in polar form is written z = cos θ + i sin θ .
Raise to the power n and apply De Moivre’s theorem:
zn = (cos θ + i sin θ )n
n
∴z = cos nθ + i sin nθ (3)
Substituting a power of −n:
1 1
z−n = (cos θ + i sin θ )−n = =
(cos θ + i sin θ )n cos nθ + i sin nθ
Multiply top and bottom by the complex conjugate:
1 cosnθ − i sin nθ cos nθ − i sin nθ
z−n = × =
cos nθ + i sin nθ cosnθ − i sin nθ cos2 nθ + sin2 nθ
1
Therefore z−n = = cos nθ − i sin nθ (4)
zn
Add (3) and (4) to get: 1
zn + = 2 cos nθ (5)
zn
Subtract (4) from (3): 1
zn − = 2i sin nθ (6)
zn

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Deriving trig identities

Express sin4 θ in terms of multiple angles of sin θ and cos θ .

Since we have a function of sin θ we’ll use equation 6. Setting n = 1

we can write:
1
2i sin θ = z −
z
4
We have to make the sin θ term so:
1 4
 ‹
4
(2i sin θ ) = z −
z
Expand and simplify the LHS. Expand the RHS with the binomial
theorem:
 ‹2  ‹3  ‹4
1 1 1 1
 ‹
(2i)4 sin4 θ = z4 + 4z3 − + 6z2 − + 4z − + −
z z z z
4 1
16 sin4 θ = z4 − 4z2 + 6 − +
z2 z4
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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

We group the powers of z like this:

1 4
16 sin4 θ = z4 + − 4z2 − + 6
4
z ‹ 2
z
1 1
 ‹
= z4 + − 4 z2 + +6
z4 z2
The grouped terms inside the brackets can be expressed using the
cosine function given in equation 5.
Therefore:

16 sin4 θ = (2 cos 4θ ) − 4(2 cos 2θ ) + 6

= 2 cos 4θ − 8 cos 2θ + 6
2 cos 4θ − 8 cos 2θ + 6
sin4 θ =
16
Simplify to get
cos 4θ − 4 cos 2θ + 3
sin4 θ =
8
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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Deriving trig identities

Express cos3 4θ in terms of multiple angle functions.

Since we have a function of cos θ we’ll use equation 5. Setting

n = 4 we can write:
1
2 cos 4θ = z4 +
z4
We have to make the cos3 4θ term so:
1 3
 ‹
3 4
(2 cos 4θ ) = z +
z4
Expand and simplify the LHS. Expand the RHS with the binomial
theorem:
 ‹2  ‹3
1 1 1
 ‹
23 cos3 4θ = (z4 )3 + 3(z4 )2 + 3z4 +
z 4 z 4 z4
3 1
8 cos3 4θ = z12 + 3z4 + +
z 4 z12
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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

We group the powers of z like this:

1 1
 ‹
8 cos3 4θ = z12 + + 3 z4 +
z12 z4

The grouped terms inside the brackets can be expressed using the
cosine function given in equation 5.
Therefore:

8 cos3 4θ = (2 cos 12θ ) + 3(2 cos 4θ )

3
8 cos 4θ = 2 cos 12θ + 6 cos 4θ
3
4 cos 4θ = cos 12θ + 3 cos 4θ

Simplify to get
cos 12θ + 3 cos 4θ
cos3 4θ =
4

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Introduction Multiple angles Powers of sine / cosine Summary

Summary
To express multiple angle functions in terms of sin θ and cos θ use
de Moivre’s theorem
cos nθ + i sin θ = (cos θ + i sin θ )n
and expand the RHS (using binomial series if necessary) and
compare the real or imaginary parts to obtain an identity.

To express sink θ or cosk θ in terms of multiple angle functions use

the formulae choose either
1 1
2 cos θ = z + or 2i sin nθ = z −
z z
and then use binomial expansions (if necessary) to find sink θ or
cosk θ in terms of z. Then use these formulas
1 1
zn + = 2 cos nθ and zn − = 2i sin nθ
zn zn
to find
De Moivre’s thetrig
Theorem: multiple
identities angle identities. 13 / 13 Adrian Jannetta