TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards Lesson

Learning Outcome 3: Space, shape and measurement
Assessment Standard
14
Derive and use the following identities:
_​ sinθθ ​  
•• tan θ =cos  
•• sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1

Overview
In this lesson you will:
●● Use x, y and r to derive the above two identities.
●● Use the above identities to simplify trigonometric expressions.
●● Use the above identities to prove more complicated trigonometric
identities.

Lesson
To simplify or prove trig expressions or identities, we need to change everything
to sin θ and/or cos θ.
y
1. tan θ = _​ ​   x
_y
_sin θ _ r​ ​   
​  θ ​=
andcos  _x ​​    
 
r​ ​   
y _r
=r_​ ​ ×
  x​ ​  
y
=x_​ ​  

​ sinθθ ​   
_
so tan θ =cos

2. The magic ONE of trigonometry

By Pythagoras x2 + y2 = r2
y2 _
÷ r2 ​ _
x2 _ r2
2 ​  + ​ 2 ​  = ​ 2 ​  
r r r
y
but _x​  ​  = cos θ and _​  ​  = sin θ
r r
so cos2 θ + sin2 θ = 1
Very important: sin2 θ = 1 – cos2 θ
cos2 θ = 1 – sin2 θ

Let’s use what we have learnt

1. Simplify: ​ _1  – sin2 θ)
2   ​(1
cos θ

Solution
_
​  1  ​× cos2 θ = 1 (Using 1 – sin2 θ = cos2 θ)
cos2 θ

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 __sin θ _
2. Prove: ​   ​+ 
    __
​  1  ​= ​  1   ​  
1 + cos θ tan θtan θ × cos θ

Solution
When we prove an identity we have to show that what is on the LHS is exactly
what is written on the RHS. So sometimes we need to simplify both to show
this. Remember to keep the sides separate.
Prove that _ ​  cos x​    
​  1 ​ +  tan x = __
cos x 1 – sin x
_ 1 _sin x
LHS: ​   ​
  +
  ​ 
cos x cos x ​
   
1 + sin x__ 1 – sin x
=__
​    ​1 – sin x
cos x ×  ​  ​    

​  1 – sin
=__   ​ x  
2
cos x(1 – sin x)
​  cos
=__    x  ​ = __ cos x
2
cos x(1 – sin x) 1 – sin x
​    ​    
∴ LHS º RHS
sin θ·tan θ
3. ​ __
Prove that1 – cos θ ​–   _
​  1  ​  
1 =cos θ
 

DVD Proof:
_sin θ
sin θ·​   ​  
 
LHS =__​  cos θ
1 – cos θ
 ​–  1
 

sin2 θ
= __
​     
cos θ(1 – cos θ)
​ – 1 
(1 – cos θ)
2
=__​    ​ –  
cos θ(1 – cos θ)
1 
(1 – cos θ)(1 + cos θ)
=___
​       
cos θ(1 – cos θ
​– 1  
1 + cos θ _
= __
​ cos θ  ​–  cos θ
​   ​  
cos θ
1 + cos θ – cos θ
= __
​  cos θ     ​  

_
​  1  ​  
=cos θ

= RHS

​​( _
​  1x  ​–  tan x )​​=1 +__
​ 1 sin
– sin x
2
4. Provecos x
 
 ​  

Solution
LHS ​​( _ ​ sin x ​ )  ​ ​
​  1  ​– _ ​ sinx​) x 
_
2
cos x cos x (tan x =cos

= ( ​​_
1 – sin )x2
​  x  ​  ​ 
cos  ​ (LCD cos x)
(1 – sin x) 2
=__​ 
1 – sin2 x
 
  ​
  (cos2 x = 1 – sin2 x)
(1 – sin x) 2
=___
​     
(1 – sin x)(1 + sin x)
​
    (a2 – b2 = (a –b)(a + b))

= ​ 1 – sin ​x 
__
1 + sin x
 

º RHS

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5. Prove:
sin A __ 1 + cos A _
a) ​ __ ​  
+ 
1 + cos A
​    ​=   ​  2 ​   
sin A
sin A

b) Hence evaluate ​  sin  

__ 2007° 1
 ​+
  ​  + cos 2007°
__
1 + cos 2007° sin 2007°
  ​   

Solutions
__sin A __1 + cos A _
a) ​  ​+ 
   ​ 
1 + cos A sin A
 ​  2  ​  
  ​= 
sin A
sin A + (1 + cos A)
2 2
LHS sin___
​  A(1 + cos
  A)  
  ​  

= ____
​ sin A + 1 + 2cos A + cos A
2 ­2
     
sin A(1 + cos A)
​  

= ___
​  2 +  2cos A
(sin A)(1 + cos A)
 ​  
2(1 + cos A)
= ​ __    ​  
sin A(1 + cos A)
 

​ _
=sin 2  ​  = RHS
A
__sin x __ + cos x _
b) We proved ​ 
1 + cos x
  ​ 1sin
 ​+ 
x
​  2x  ​  
 sin
  ​= 

sin 2007° 1
__
so ​     ​+ ​  + cos 2007°
__
1 + cos 2007° sin 2007°
  ​   

= __
​  2   ​  
sin 2007°

= –4,405

Activity

  1. tan2 θ – 1
__
Simplify ​ cos Individual
2   ​   
θ
  2. Simplify  1 ° sin2 θ + cos2 θ
summative
_ cos A
1  ​– _ assessment
  3. Simplify ​  ​   ​  
sin A tan A
 
_​ sin2 αα ​  
2
  4. Simplify  tan2 αcos2 α +tan
sin A – sin3 A_
__
  5. Prove ​     ​=   ​  1  ​  
cos A – cos3 A tan A
___
  6. Prove ​
1 +√2sin
  θcos
  θ ​= sin
  θ + cos θ
1 – tan x __
__
  7. Prove ​   ​ cos x – sin ​ x 
 ​= 
1 + tan x cos x + sin x
 
__tan2 α
  8. Prove ​ 
1 + tan2 α
 ​ 
= sin2 α

​   1x ​ –  sin x )​​ ​=tan

(_ _​  21x ​ – cos2 x
2
  9. Prove ​​sin
1 – 2cos2 θ
__ _
10. Prove ​ 
cos θsin θ
 ​=   ​  1θ  ​  
tan θ –tan

11. _
Prove ​  1  ​– __
​  1   ​= __
​  1  ​  
sin2 A tan Asin A 1 + cos A
12. Prove  tan2 α ° sin2 α = tan2 α × sin2 α
__sin α 2
13. Prove ​ 
1 + cos α
 ​ 
= 1 – cos α
sin x __
14. _
Prove ​ 
cos x
​ =  1​  + cos x
  ​   
sin x
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