Question about cosine and Eulers identity

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The discussion centers on the misunderstanding of the cosine addition formula, specifically the incorrect application of the formula cos(a+b) = cos(a)*cos(b). The user initially derived this from the exponential form of the cosine function using Euler's identity, e^{j*(a+b)}. The error was identified as a misapplication of the real part function, Re{}, which is not distributive over multiplication. The correct interpretation emphasizes that the real part of a product is not equal to the product of the real parts.

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I was doing a signals and systems problem and I think I might be screwing something up with the cosine function because I get

cos(a+b) = cos(a)*cos(b)

This is how

cos(a+b)=Re\left\{ e^{j*(a+b)} \right\}
=Re\left\{ e^{j*(a)}*e^{j*(b)} \right\}
=cos(a)*cos(b)

Can anyone point out my mistake?

EDIT:
I guess I figured it out. The Re{} function isn't distributive. Thanks for your time.
 
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The expression at the second to last line will involve a multiplication of two factors each having one j (imaginary unit), which results in the missing real expression.
 
snipez90 said:
The expression at the second to last line will involve a multiplication of two factors each having one j (imaginary unit), which results in the missing real expression.

In simpler language... the real part of a product is not the product of the real parts
 

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