Compund Angle Identities and proof

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on proving the equation involving sine and cosine functions using compound angle identities. The user successfully simplified the equation to a form involving tangent functions but is unsure how each term simplifies to that result. Another participant suggests expanding the numerators and splitting the fractions to aid in simplification. This method can help clarify how the terms relate and ultimately lead to the conclusion that the equation equals zero. The conversation emphasizes the importance of breaking down complex fractions for easier manipulation in trigonometric proofs.
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Homework Statement


prove using the compound angle identies, proove the following:
<br /> \frac{sin(A-B)}{cos(A)cos(B)}+\frac{sin(B-C)}{cos(B)cos(C)}+\frac{sin(C-A)}{cos(C)cos(A)}=0<br />

Homework Equations


n/a

The Attempt at a Solution


I resolved it to
<br /> \frac{sin(A)cos(B)-cos(A)sin(B)}{cos(A)cos(B)}+\frac{sin(B)cos(C)-cos(B)sin(C)}{cos(B)cos(C)}+\frac{sin(C)cos(A)-cos(C)sin(A)}{cos(C)cos(A)}=0<br />

And using wolfram alpha I found that the first term resolves to tan(A)-tan(B) and then I can see how it equals zero as all the tans would cancel out.

But I have no idea how each term simplifies to that.

Any help is really appreciated.

thanks.
 
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After you have expanded the numerators with the addition formulae (which you have done), you can simplify each fraction by taking out a factor.
 
In each fraction, you have something of the form

\frac{a+b}{c}

You should always check if splitting up the fraction into

\frac{a}{c}+\frac{b}{c}

could help you in any way. In this case, it does.
 
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