- #1
- 211
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After a little calculus and lots of algebra I get the expression
cot(2la) = (l^2 - k^2) / (2kl)
it is suggested to simplify with the trig identity
tan(t/2) = sqrt(1 + cot^2(t) ) - cot(t)
when I do so, I get
tan(la) = k/l
notice that we have gone from cot(2la) to tan(la). The text I am reading says
tan(la) = l/k
which I think is wrong. Can someone else please give it a try?
the key step was combining the 1 + cot^2(t) over a common denom.
cot(2la) = (l^2 - k^2) / (2kl)
it is suggested to simplify with the trig identity
tan(t/2) = sqrt(1 + cot^2(t) ) - cot(t)
when I do so, I get
tan(la) = k/l
notice that we have gone from cot(2la) to tan(la). The text I am reading says
tan(la) = l/k
which I think is wrong. Can someone else please give it a try?
the key step was combining the 1 + cot^2(t) over a common denom.