Solving Proving Identities - Trig Chapter Problems

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around solving two trigonometric identity problems from a textbook. Participants seek hints and strategies for proving these identities, which involve manipulating trigonometric expressions and applying known identities.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents two identity problems and expresses uncertainty about how to proceed with them.
  • Hints are provided suggesting the expansion of expressions and rewriting in terms of sine and cosine.
  • Another participant mentions known identities such as the double angle formulas for cosine and tangent, and the Pythagorean identity.
  • Some participants explore the simplification of the first problem, leading to the conclusion that it simplifies to a known identity.
  • For the second problem, participants suggest multiplying out fractions and simplifying, with some expressing enjoyment in the problem-solving process.
  • There are multiple approaches to the second problem, with participants discussing different methods of simplification and manipulation of terms.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the methods to approach the problems, but there is no consensus on a single solution path for the second problem, as multiple strategies are proposed and explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants rely on various trigonometric identities and algebraic manipulations, but some steps and assumptions in the reasoning are not fully resolved, leaving room for further exploration.

Who May Find This Useful

Students studying trigonometry, educators looking for problem-solving strategies, and anyone interested in mathematical reasoning related to trigonometric identities.

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Hey guys, I'm about to finish answering the chapter problems on my trigonometry books about proving Identities, there are 2 problems that made me scratch my head though. They are the last 2 problems left that I'm not yet able to verify. I would greatly appreciate it if you could lend me some hints to do these problems.

$\frac{1}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}-\frac{4\tan^{2}(x)}{\left(1-\tan^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$

$\frac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-1\sec(\theta)+1}=\frac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$

from here I have no idea what to do next. please help. Thanks!My attempt for prob1

$\frac{1}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}-\frac{(4)\frac{\sin^{2}(x)}{\cos^{2}(x)}}{\left(1-\frac{\sin^{2}(x)}{\cos^{2}(x)}\right)^2}=1$$\frac{1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$
 
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paulmdrdo said:
Hey guys, I'm about to finish answering the chapter problems on my trigonometry books about proving Identities, there are 2 problems that made me scratch my head though. They are the last 2 problems left that I'm not yet able to verify. I would greatly appreciate it if you could lend me some hints to do these problems.

$\frac{1}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}-\frac{4\tan^{2}(x)}{\left(1-\tan^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$

$\frac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-1\sec(\theta)+1}=\frac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$

from here I have no idea what to do next. please help. Thanks!My attempt for prob1

$\frac{1}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}-\frac{(4)\frac{\sin^{2}(x)}{\cos^{2}(x)}}{\left(1-\frac{\sin^{2}(x)}{\cos^{2}(x)}\right)^2}=1$$\frac{1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$

Hint: you get:

$$\frac{1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$$

Hence:

$$1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)=\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2$$

Now expand the RHS to get:

$$1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)= \cos^4(x) - 2 \cos^2(x) \sin^2(x) + \sin^4(x)$$

And simplify:

$$1-2\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)= \cos^4(x) + \sin^4(x)$$

$$\cos^4(x) + 2\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x) + \sin^4(x) = 1$$

Does that look like anything you know? Hint: $(a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2$.
 
Bacterius said:
Hint: you get:

$$\frac{1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)}{\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2}=1$$

Hence:

$$1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)=\left(\cos^{2}(x)-\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2$$

Now expand the RHS to get:

$$1-4\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)= \cos^4(x) - 2 \cos^2(x) \sin^2(x) + \sin^4(x)$$

And simplify:

$$1-2\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x)= \cos^4(x) + \sin^4(x)$$

$$\cos^4(x) + 2\cos^{2}(x)\sin^{2}(x) + \sin^4(x) = 1$$

Does that look like anything you know? Hint: $(a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2$.

Yes! $\left(\cos^{2}(x)+\sin^{2}(x)\right)^2=1$

$1=1$

How about the second problem?
 
paulmdrdo said:
How about the second problem?

Try multiplying out the fractions, and rewriting everything in terms of $\sin$ and $\cos$. To get you started:

$$\frac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}=\frac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1)=(\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}+\frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}-1)=(\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}- \frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

Notice that a bunch of stuff simplifies right off the bat in the LHS. Now try expanding the RHS, and see where that gets you! Good luck.
 
Bacterius said:
Try multiplying out the fractions, and rewriting everything in terms of $\sin$ and $\cos$. To get you started:

$$\frac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}=\frac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1)=(\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}+\frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}-1)=(\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}- \frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

Notice that a bunch of stuff simplifies right off the bat in the LHS. Now try expanding the RHS, and see where that gets you! Good luck.

I love this problem as

$\dfrac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}$
= $\dfrac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-(\sec^2(\theta)- \tan ^2 (\theta)}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}$
= $\dfrac{(\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta))( 1 -(\sec(\theta)- \tan (\theta))}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}$
= $\dfrac{(\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta))( 1 -\sec(\theta)+ \tan (\theta))}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}$
= $\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)$
= $\dfrac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}+\dfrac{1}{\cos(\theta)}$
= $\dfrac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$

I love it because replacing 1 by $\sec^2(\theta)- \tan ^2 (\theta)$ simplifies a lot
 
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Bacterius said:
Try multiplying out the fractions, and rewriting everything in terms of $\sin$ and $\cos$. To get you started:

$$\frac{\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1}{\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1}=\frac{1+\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\tan(\theta)+\sec(\theta)-1)=(\tan(\theta)-\sec(\theta)+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

$$(\cos(\theta)) (\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}+\frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}-1)=(\frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}- \frac{1}{\cos(\theta)}+1) (1+\sin(\theta))$$

Notice that a bunch of stuff simplifies right off the bat in the LHS. Now try expanding the RHS, and see where that gets you! Good luck.
Again I end up getting $\sin^{2}(\theta)+\cos^{2}(\theta)=1$
 
Hello, paulmdrdo!

$\frac{1}{\left(\cos^2x -\sin^2x\right)^2}-\frac{4\tan^2x}{\left(1-\tan^2x\right)^2}\;=\;1$
We are expected to know these three identities:

. . \cos2\theta \:=\:\cos^2\!\theta - \sin^2\!\theta

. . \tan2\theta \:=\:\frac{2\tan\theta}{1-\tan^2\!\theta}

$\quad \sec^2\!\theta - \tan^2\!\theta \:=\:1$The first fraction is: $\:\dfrac{1}{(\cos^2\!x - \sin^2\!x)^2} \:=\:\dfrac{1}{\cos^2\!2x} \:=\:\sec^2\!2x$

The second fraction is: $\:\left(\dfrac{2\tan x}{1-\tan^2\!x}\right)^2 \:=\:\tan^2\!2x$

And we have: $\:\dfrac{1}{\left(\cos^2\!x -\sin^2\!x\right)^2}-\dfrac{4\tan^2\!x}{\left(1-\tan^2\!x\right)^2} \;=\; \sec^2\!x - \tan^2\!x \; =\;1$
 

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