MHB Secondary Identity Confirmation

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The discussion centers around solving the expression $$1 - \cos2\theta + \cos8\theta - \cos10\theta$$ and confirming it equals $$4\sin\theta\cos4\theta\sin5\theta$$. Participants share their approaches, including using identities like $$1 - \cos10\theta = 2\sin^2(5\theta)$$ and the double-angle identity for cosine. The conversation highlights the importance of recognizing these identities to simplify the expression effectively. Ultimately, the solution is clarified through collaborative insights, emphasizing the utility of trigonometric identities in problem-solving.
Dundee3
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Hey fellahs, got another whopper that's killing me.

$$1 - \cos2\theta + \cos8\theta - \cos10\theta=?$$

My objective here is to complete the identity, and my worksheet lists the correct solution as:

$$4\sin\theta\cos4\theta\sin5\theta$$

And once again I've had trouble beating this one. This is what I've conjured so far:

$$1 - (1 - 2\sin^2\theta) + (-2\sin((8\theta + 10\theta)/2)\sin((8\theta-10\theta)/2)$$

$$1 -1 + 2\sin^2\theta + 2\sin9\theta\sin\theta$$

$$2\sin^2\theta - 2\sin9\theta * -\sin\theta$$
And from this point I'm stumped =\

Any help would be awesome!
Thanks again, homies.
 
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I would look at:

$$1-\cos(10\theta)=2\sin^2(5\theta)$$

$$\cos(8\theta)-\cos(2\theta)=-2\sin(5\theta)\sin(3\theta)$$

And now your original expression can be factored as:

$$2\sin(5\theta)\left(\sin(5\theta)-\sin(3\theta)\right)$$

Now, we know:

$$\sin(5\theta)-\sin(3\theta)=2\sin(\theta)\cos(4\theta)$$

Now to finish is fairly easy...:D
 
It makes perfect sense! Thank you so much!

I was never familiar with the identity:

$$1 - \cos10\theta = 2\sin^2(5\theta)$$

Thank you again!
 
Dundee3 said:
It makes perfect sense! Thank you so much!

I was never familiar with the identity:

$$1 - \cos10\theta = 2\sin^2(5\theta)$$

Thank you again!

It is just a re-formulation of a double-angle identity for cosine:

$$\cos(2\theta)=1-2\sin^2(\theta)$$
 
Dundee3 said:
$$1 -1 + 2\sin^2\theta + 2\sin9\theta\sin\theta$$
$$2\sin^2\theta+2\sin9\theta\sin\theta$$$$=2\sin\theta(\sin\theta+\sin9\theta)$$$$=2\sin\theta\cdot2\sin5\theta\cos4\theta$$$$=4\sin\theta\cos4\theta\sin5\theta$$
 
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Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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