Week 3

Topic 1. Trigonometric Identities (Stewart, pp. A28 – A35)

1 List of trigonometric identities

sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1 sin(−θ) = − sin θ sin(θ + 2π) = sin θ

tan2 θ + 1 = sec2 θ cos(−θ) = cos θ cos(θ + 2π) = cos θ
1 + cot2 θ = csc2 θ tan(−θ) = − tan θ tan(θ + π) = tan θ

π


sin 2 − θ = cos θ sin(π − θ) = sin θ sin(π + θ) = − sin θ
π


cos 2 − θ = sin θ cos(π − θ) = − cos θ cos(π + θ) = − cos θ
π


tan 2 − θ = cot θ tan(π − θ) = − tan θ tan(π + θ) = tan θ

sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y) sin(x − y) = sin(x) cos(y) − cos(x) sin(y)
cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) − sin(x) sin(y) cos(x − y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y)
tan(x) + tan(y) tan(x) − tan(y)
tan(x + y) = tan(x − y) =
1 − tan(x) tan(y) 1 + tan(x) tan(y)
1
sin(2x) = 2 sin(x) cos(x) sin2 (x) = 2 − 12 cos(2x)
1
cos(2x) = cos2 x − sin2 x cos2 (x) = 2 + 12 cos(2x)
= 2 cos2 x − 1
= 1 − 2 sin2 x

2 Motivation of some trigonometric identities

The proof of sin2 x+cos2 x = 1 follows from the definition of sin and cos together with the Theorem
of Pythagoras:

(x, y)
1 x = cos θ and y = sin θ
θ =⇒ x2 + y 2 = 1
=⇒ cos2 θ + sin2 θ = 1

By dividing with cos2 θ or sin2 θ will give us the other similar identities.

1
From the following sketches, we can deduce another three identities.

(x, y)
sin(−θ) = −y = − sin θ
1
θ cos(−θ) = x = cos θ
−θ
−y
1 tan(−θ) = = − tan θ
x
(x, −y)

π


For the identities of sin(2π + θ) = sin(θ), sin(π + θ) = − sin θ, sin(π − θ) = sin θ, and sin 2 −θ =
cos(θ), the following sketches are useful:

(x, y) (x, y) (y, x) (−x, y) (x, y)

1 1 (x, y) 1
θ+π θ
θ θ θ
θ θ
π
−θ π−θ
2
θ + 2π

(−x, −y) y=x

The remaining identities could similarly be deduced from suitable sketches. The motivation of the
sum and difference identities, are significantly more difficult to deduce (see Exercise 89 on Page
A35).

3 Applications of identities
Example 1. Use the trigonometric identities and special triangles to compute cos θ for
π 3π 5π 7π π 3π
θ= ; ; ; ; − ; −
4 4 4 4 4 4
Solution: We have
√
cos π4 = √12 = 22


(from the special triangles)
√
2
cos 3π π π




4 = cos π − 4 = − cos 4 = − 2
√
2
cos 5π π π




4 = cos π + 4 = − cos 4 = − 2
√
2
cos 7π π π π




4 = cos 2π − 4 = cos − 4 = cos 4 = 2
√
cos − π4 = . . . = 22


√
2
cos − 3π 3π



4 = cos 4 = . . . = − 2

Example 2. Determine
π 3π
(b) sin2



(a) cos 12 8

2
Solution:
(a) Notice that
π π π



cos 12 = cos 3
− 4
cos π3 cos π4 + π π




= sin 3 sin 4
√ √ √
1 2 3 2
= 2 · 2 + 2 · 2
√ √
2 6
= 4 + 4
π


Alternatively we could have noticed that cos 12 > 0, then, with the half angle identities,

q1 1 √ √ √
π
= 2 + 2 cos π6 = 12 + 43 = 2+ 3


cos 12 2

(b) Use the half angle identity,

sin2 3π

1 3π



8 = 2 1 − cos ·2
8


1 3π
= 1 − cos
2 4
 √  √
= 1 + 22 /2 = 1
2 + 4
2

Example 3. If sin θ = − 13 , determine sin(3θ)

Solution:

sin(3θ) = sin(θ + 2θ)

= sin(θ) cos(2θ) + cos(θ) sin(2θ)
= sin(θ) 1 − 2 sin2 θ + cos(θ) 2 sin(θ) cos(θ)

= sin(θ) 1 − 2 sin2 θ + 2 cos2 (θ) sin(θ)

= sin(θ) 1 − 2 sin2 θ + 2 sin(θ) 1 − sin2 θ

= sin(θ) 3 − 4 sin2 θ

= − 13 3 − 49 = − 27
23

Example 4. Prove the following identity

tan(x) = csc(2x) − cot(2x)

Notice that this identity could be seen as the “half angle” tan formula.

Solution: We have
1 − 1 − 2 sin2 x


1 − cos(2x)
csc(2x) − cot(2x) = =
sin(2x) 2 sin(x) cos x
2
2 sin x sin x
= = = tan x
2 sin(x) cos x cos x

3
 cos θ = − 14 for θ ∈ π, 3π
 
Example 5. Given that 2 . Determine sin θ and tan θ

Solution: Method 1: By definition

cos θ = − 14 = x
r

Let x = −1 and r = 4. Then y 2 = r2 − x2 = 15.

√
Since θ is in the third quadrant, y is negative. Thus y = − 15
θ
Consequently,
4 √
15
√
− 15
√
sin θ = − 4 and tan θ = −1 = 15
√
(−1, − 15)

Method 2: Use identities.

We have
cos2 θ + sin2 θ = 1 =⇒ sin2 θ = 1 − cos2 θ = 1 − 1
16 = 15
16

Since θ is in the third quadrant, sin is negative. Consequently,

√
15
sin θ = −
4
Further,
1
tan2 θ + 1 = sec2 θ =⇒ tan2 θ = − 1 = 16 − 1 = 15
cos2 θ
Since θ is in the third quadrant, tan is positive. Consequently,
√
tan θ = + 15

Example 6. Determine all θ ∈ − π2 , π such that

 

1
q
1 − cos 2θ = √
2

Solution: We have
1
q
1 − cos 2θ = √
2
1
⇐⇒ 1 − cos 2θ = since 1 − cos 2θ ≥ 0
2
θ 1
⇐⇒ cos 2 =
2

Notice that − π2 ≤ θ ≤ π ⇐⇒ − π4 ≤ 2θ ≤ π2 .
The only angle α in − π4 , π2 such cos α = 12 , is α = π3 . Thus
 

θ π 2π
2 = 3 =⇒ θ= 3

4
Example 7. Determine all values of x in the interval [0, 2π] for which

sin x = sin(2x)

Solution: We have

sin x = sin(2x)
⇐⇒ sin x = 2 sin(x) cos(x)
⇐⇒ sin(x)(1 − 2 cos x) = 0

The solutions for sin x = 0 in [0, 2π] is x = 0, π, 2π

The solutions for cos x = 21 in [0, 2π] is x = π3 , 2π − π
3

0, π, 2π, π3 , 5π

The solution set: 3

Example 8. Determine all θ ∈ [0, 2π] such that

sin θ ≥ sin(2θ)

Solution: From the previous exercise, we know that

sin θ ≥ sin(2θ) ⇐⇒ sin(θ)(1 − 2 cos θ) ≥ 0

π 5π
With the help of the roots, 0, π, 2π, 3, 3 , we set up a sign table:
 π   π   5π   5π 
0, 3 3,π π, 3 3 , 2π
sin θ + + − −
1 − 2 cos θ − + + −
sin θ − sin(2θ) − + − +

The signs in the table could be determined by plugging in“test values” from each interval or by
using the graphs of sin θ and 1 − 2 cos θ.
 π   5π 
From the table, the solution set is 3 , π ∪ 3 , 2π