Adding y=A sin(kx+wt) and y=A sin(kx-wt) - Help Appreciated

[wranglrjeep]

I am stumped on how to add these together...

y=A sin(kx+wt)

and

y=A sin(kx-wt)

any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Math Jeans]

It depends on what you are trying to do with them. Are you adding them in order to simplify them to a smaller equation or are you adding them in order to graph them?

 

[wranglrjeep]

I am actually trying to show that these are waves, and that the sum of these 2 traveling waves is the standing wave described by the equation

y=2a {sin(kx) sin(wt)}

The former equations are waves traveling to the right and left, respectively.

Thanks!

 

[Math Jeans]

Remember that sin(x+y)=cos(x)sin(y)+sin(x)cos(y).

Use that on both of the different equations and add the similar figures. You should get your answer.