A new geometrical proof for the formula
𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝟑𝒙) = 𝟑 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝒙) − 𝟒 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝒙)𝟑
Construction
Construct a line d and mark a point O on it. Construct another line a such that it intersects line
d at point 𝑂 and forms an angle of measure 𝛼. Construct another line t such that it intersects
line a at point 𝑂 and forms an angle of measure 𝛼. Now, construct yet another line g such that
it intersects line t at point 𝑂 and forms an angle of measure 𝛼. Construct a line s intersecting
line g, line a and line d at point F, at point H and perpendicularly at point A respectively.
Similarly, construct another line k passing through point F and intersecting line t and line a
perpendicularly at point E and at point J respectively. Then, construct a line j passing through
point E and intersecting line a and line d perpendicularly at point P and at point K respectively.
Construct a line c passing through point F and intersecting line a perpendicularly at point I.
Similarly, construct a line j passing through point E and intersecting line a and line d
perpendicularly at point P and at point K respectively. After that, construct a line p such that it
passes through point E and and intersect line d perpendicularly at point B. Also, construct a
line n such that it passes through point J and it intersects line d perpendicularly at point K. Now,
construct line q parallel to line a such that it passes through point E and intersects line s and
line c at point G and point Z respectively.
Proof
Before we commence our main proof, we need to prove that 𝐹𝐺 = 𝐹𝐸, 𝐺𝐻 = 𝐸𝐽 and
𝐻𝐼 = 𝐼𝐽.
In ∆𝑂𝐸𝐽, by angle sum property of a triangle, we have ∠𝐸𝐽𝑂 = 90° − 𝛼. In ∆𝐻𝐴𝑂, by angle
sum property of a triangle, we have ∠𝑂𝐻𝐴 = 90° − 𝛼 and since ∠𝐻𝐹𝐼 is vertically opposite
to ∠𝑂𝐻𝐴, therefore ∠𝐼𝐻𝐹 = ∠𝑂𝐻𝐴 = 90° − 𝛼. Now, by angle sum property of a triangle, in
∆𝐹𝐼𝐻 and ∆𝐹𝐼𝐽, ∠𝐻𝐹𝐼 = ∠𝐽𝐹𝐼 = 𝛼. Now, in ∆𝐹𝐼𝐻 and ∆𝐹𝐼𝐽, we have, ∠𝐻𝐹𝐼 = ∠𝐽𝐹𝐼 = 𝛼,
∠𝐹𝐼𝐻 = ∠𝐹𝐼𝐽 = 90° and 𝐹𝐼 = 𝐹𝐼 (common) and thus by ASA congruency criteria, ∆𝐹𝐼𝐻 ≅
∆𝐹𝐼𝐽, which implies that 𝐼𝐻 = 𝐼𝐽 and 𝐹𝐻 = 𝐹𝐽. Similarly, by ASA congruency criteria, we
have, ∆𝐹𝑍𝐺 ≅ ∆𝐹𝑍𝐸 which implies, 𝐺𝐹 = 𝐸𝐹 and so, 𝐺𝐻 = 𝐸𝐽 (as 𝐹𝐻 = 𝐹𝐽), which was
desired.
Now, we need to prove that 𝐼𝑃 = 𝑃𝐽 and 𝐹𝑂 = 𝑂𝐽.
In ∆𝑂𝐵𝐼, by angle sum property of a triangle, we have ∠𝐵𝐼𝑂 = 90° − 𝛼 and since ∠𝑃𝐼𝐸 is
vertically opposite to ∠𝐵𝐼𝑂, therefore ∠𝐵𝐼𝑂 = ∠𝑃𝐼𝐸 = 90° − 𝛼. In ∆𝑂𝐸𝐽, by angle sum
property of a triangle, we have ∠𝐸𝐽𝑂 = 90° − 𝛼. So, by angle sum property of a triangle, in
∆𝐸𝑃𝐼 and ∆𝐸𝑃𝐽, ∠𝐼𝐸𝑃 = ∠𝐽𝐸𝑃 = 𝛼. Now, in ∆𝐸𝑃𝐼 and ∆𝐸𝑃𝐽, we have, ∠𝐼𝐸𝑃 = ∠𝐽𝐸𝑃 = 𝛼,
∠EPI = ∠EPJ = 90° and 𝐸𝑃 = 𝐸𝑃 (common) and thus by ASA congruency criteria, ∆𝐸𝑃𝐼 ≅
∆𝐸𝑃𝐽, which implies that 𝐼𝑃 = 𝑃𝐽. Similarly, in ∆𝑂𝐸𝐹 and ∆𝑂𝐸𝐽, we have, ∠𝐹𝑂𝐸 = ∠𝐽𝑂𝐸 =
𝛼, ∠OEF = ∠OEJ = 90° and 𝑂𝐸 = 𝑂𝐸 (common) and thus by ASA congruency criteria,
∆𝑂𝐸𝐹 ≅ ∆𝑂𝐸𝐽, which implies that 𝐹𝑂 = 𝑂𝐽. Since, we have proved all our desired results, we
are all set to commence our proof.
So, our proof is as follows.
𝐹𝐴 𝐹𝐺 + 𝐺𝐻 + 𝐻𝐴 𝐹𝐺 𝐺𝐻 𝐻𝐴 𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐻𝑂
sin(3𝛼) = = = + + = + + = + + ×
𝐹𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝑂𝐽 𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽
𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝑂𝐽 − 𝐻𝐽 𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐻𝐽
= + + × = + + × (1 − )
𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽
𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐻𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 2 ∙ 𝐼𝐽 𝐻𝐴
= + + − × = + + − ×
𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂
𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 4 ∙ 𝑃𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝐹𝐸 𝐸𝐽 𝐻𝐴 𝑃𝐽 𝐽𝐸 𝐻𝐴
= + + − × = + + −4∙ × ×
𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝐹𝑂 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂 𝐽𝐸 𝑂𝐽 𝐻𝑂
= sin(𝛼) + sin(𝛼) + sin(𝛼) − 4 ∙ sin(𝛼) ∙ sin(𝛼) ∙ sin(𝛼) = 3 sin(𝛼) − 4 sin(𝛼)3 ∎.
