Compound-angle Formulae
Prerequisites
You should know that
sin A sin A
cos( A ) cos A
tan( A ) tan A
You should be able to prove all of the following trigonometric identities.
sin
1 tan
cos
cos
2 cot
sin
3 sin 2 cos2 1
4 tan 2 1 sec2
5 1 cot2 cosec2
Example (1)
Given sin 2 cos2 1 prove tan 2 1 sec2
Solution
sin 2 cos2 1
On dividing both sides by cos2
sin 2 cos2 1
cos2 cos2 cos2
tan 2 1 sec2
You should be able to apply these identities to solve trigonometric equations.
Example (2)
Solve
cosec2x 4 cot x 2 for 0 360
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Solution
4 cot x cosec2x 2 0
4 cot x 1 cot2 2 0 cosec2x 1 cot2 x
cot2 4 cot x 3 0
cot2 4 cot x 3 0
1 4 1
3 0 cot x tan x
tan 2 tan
1 4 tan 3tan 2 0
3tan 1 tan 1 0
1
tan or tan 1
3
tan ( )
18.4, 45, 198.4 or 225 nearest 0.1 for 0 360
Compound-angle formulae
The trigonometric functions are defined by the ratios of the sides in the following triangle.
y
1
y = sin
x
x = cos
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Suppose now that the angle in this diagram is divided in two, so that A B is a compound
angle.
1
y = sin (A + B )
B
A
x = cos (A + B )
The adjacent and opposite sides of this triangle are x cos A B and y sin A B
respectively. We would like to be able to find values for x cos A B and y sin A B in
terms of cos A, cos B , sin A and sin B . Let us start by disproving one conjecture.
Example (3)
(a) By substituting values for cos A and cos B show that the conjecture
cos A B cos A cos B
is false.
(b) In the expression cos A B cos A cos B what does the equivalence sign
mean?
(c) Given
cos A cos A cos 0 A 2
4 4
3
By substituting A radians into the left and right-hand sides of this
2
expression find a value of A in the interval 0 A 2 that makes this identity
true.
Solution
(a) Let A and B
3 6
1 3
Then cos A cosB A B cos A B 1
2 2
On substitution into
cos A B cos A cos B
The left-hand side is
cos A B cos 1
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The right-hand side is
1 3 1 3
cos A cos B cos cos 1
3 6 2 2 2
These are not equal so the conjecture
cos A B cos A cos B
is false. Note: almost any two angles A and B would suffice to prove that this
conjecture is false.
(b) This question is concerned with the distinction between identities involving the
equivalence sign and equations involving the equals sign . In the
trigonometric identity sin 2 cos2 1 the sign denotes equivalence between
functions, and represents the idea that both sides of the identity are true for all
values of the functions so that that the left-hand side, sin 2 cos2 , is always
equal to the right-hand side, 1, whatever the value of the angle, . The symbol =
represents an equality between numbers. Thus stands for a relationship
between functions, and = stands for a relationship between numbers.
(c) In this solution the angle A is measured in radians. We are given
cos A cos A cos .
4 4
3
Substituting A we get
2
3 1 7 1
LHS cos A cos cos cos
4 2 4 4 4 2
3 1
RHS cos A cos cos cos 0 cos LHS
4 2 4 4 2
So the particular value of A that makes the equation
cos A cos A cos
4 4
3
true in the interval 0 A 2 is A .
2
This question shows that the most obvious guess at a formula for cos A B ? is false, and
reminds you of the important distinction between an identity and an equation. The formula for
cos A B ? is an identity that must be true for all values of angles A and B and not just an
equation that can be solved for particular values of A and B. The formula for cos A B ? is in
fact given by
cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
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Example (4)
Given A substitute
3
a B b B c B
4 6
and verify in each case that the identity cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B is true.
Solution
Substituting A the identity cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B becomes
3
cos B cos cos B sin sin B
3 3
3
1 3
cos B sin B
2 2
The left-hand side of this is
LHS cos B
3
and the right-hand side is
1 3
RHS cos B sin B
2 2
LHS RHS
1 3
cos B cos B sin B
3 2 2
7 1 3 1 3
a B cos 2.588.. cos sin 2.588...
4 12 2 4
2 4 2 2
1 1 3 3 3
b B cos 0 cos sin 0
6 2 2 6
2 6
4
4 1 1 3 1 0 1
c B cos cos sin
3 2 2 2 2 2
This shows that for some particular values of A and B the identity
cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
is true. However, it does not prove the identity.
Example (4) continued
Explain why we have not yet proven the identity cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B .
Solution
The identity
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cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
must be true for all values of A and B. Our result that this expression is true for A
3
and a B b B and c B could be just a fluke. We have not shown that
4 6
there could be no counter-example to the truth of this statement.
Proving the double-angle formulae
Two double-angle formulae are
1 cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
2 sin A B sin A cos B cos A sin B
We will now prove the second of these, and invite you to prove the first by imitation of our proof.
Let us begin by reminding ourselves of what we are trying to prove.
1
y = s in (A + B )
B A+B
A
In the diagram above we are trying to establish that the side marked y here is also given by
y sin A cos B cos A sin B whatever A and B.
In the next diagram we interpret the meaning of cos B and sin B .
s in B
1
B cos B
A
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Now examine the following diagram.
A
1
B X
A
In this diagram there are two triangles where an angle has been marked by A. These two angles
marked A are equal. This is because in both triangles where this angle is included we have
A X 90 where X is another angle as indicated in the diagram. The following diagram reminds
us of what sin A B means.
A
1
sin (A + B )
B A+B
A
That is, sin A B is the length of the side opposite the double angle A B . The following
diagram demonstrates that the side opposite the angle A in the triangle with hypotenuse of length
cos B has length sin A cos B .
1
sin (A + B )
B cos B s in A co s B
A
The next diagram demonstrates that the side adjacent to the angle A in the triangle with
hypotenuse sin B has length cos A sin B .
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A
s in B cos A s in B
1
sin (A + B )
B
A
Thus overall the side with length y sin A B shown in the following diagram
A
s in B co s A s in B
1
sin (A + B )
B cos B s in A co s B
A
is also given by y sin A cos B cos A sin B . Furthermore, this argument does not depend on
particular values of the angles A and B, but is true for all values of A and B. Therefore, we have
established the identity
sin A B sin A cos B cos A sin B .
Observe in this last line the switch from the equals to the equivalence symbol . This is
valid because in the course of the proof we establish
sin A B sin A cos B cos A sin B
for any arbitrarily chosen angles A and B; and so we can finally conclude
sin A B sin A cos B cos A sin B
for all angles A and B.
Example (5)
(a) In the following diagram find an expression for x in terms of cos A B and
expressions for U and V in terms of cos A, cos B , sin A and sin B .
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A
s in B
1
B cos B
A
U V
x
(b) Hence prove the identity cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B .
Solution
(a)
A
s in B
1
B cos B
A
cos (A + B ) s in A s in B
co s A cos B
x cos A B
V cos A cos B
U sin A sin B
(b) We have for any arbitrarily chosen angles A and B
x V U
cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
But this argument does not depend on the particular values of the angles A and B.
Hence for all A and B
cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
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More formulae from existing ones
We can now establish further double-angle formulae on the basis of the two we already have.
(1) cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
(2) sin A B sin A cos B cos A sin B
We will add to these.
(3) sin(A B ) sin A cos B cos A sin B
Proof
This is proven by substituting –B for B in the formula for sin(A B ) .
sin(A B ) sin A cos( B ) cos A sin(B )
sin A cos B cos A sin B
This follows from the identities
sin A sin A sin A is an odd (anti-symmetric) function
cos A cos A cos A is an even (symmetric) function
(4) sin(2A ) 2sin A cos A
Proof
This is proven by substituting A for B in the formula for sin(A B ) .
sin(A A ) sin A cos A cos A sin A
sin 2A 2sin A cos A
(5) cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
Example (6)
Prove this formula by substituting –B for B in the formula for cos A B .
Solution
cos A B cos A cos B sin A sin B
cos A cos B sin A sin B
(6) Formulae for cos 2A
Proof
On substitution of A for B in cos A B
cos2A cos2 A sin 2 A
2cos2 A 1 sin 2 A cos2 A 1
1 2sin 2 A
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(7) The preceding formula can be rearranged to give an expression for cos2 A .
cos2A 1
cos2 A
2
Proof
cos2A 2cos2 A 1
2cos2 A cos2A 1
cos2A 1
cos2 A
2
This formula is useful when integrating the expression cos2 A .
1 1
cos A dA 2 cos2A dA 2 dA
2
sin 2A A
c
4 2
Remark
The identities
sin 2A 2sin A cos A
cos2A cos2 A sin 2 A
2cos2 A 1
1 2sin 2 A
are called the double-angle formulae.
Example (7)
By substituting x 2A into the double angle formulae above find the half-angle formulae.
Solution
x x
sin x 2sin cos
2 2
x x
cos x cos2 sin 2
2 2
x
2cos2 1
2
x
1 2sin 2
2
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Using the compound-angle formulae
We can now apply these compound-angle formulae to a variety of examples.
Example (8)
By writing sin 105 as sin A B where A 60 find the exact value of sin 105
expressing your answer in surd form.
Solution
sin 105 sin 60 45
On substitution into
sin(A B ) sin A cos B cos A sin B
sin 105 sin 60 45
sin 60 cos 45 cos60 sin 45
3 1 1 1 3 1
2 2 2 2 2 2
Example (9)
Find all the values of in the range 0 360 satisfying
sin 2 2 cos
Solution
sin 2 2 cos
2sin cos 2 cos
cos 0 or 2sin 2
cos 0 90 or 270
1
2sin 2 sin
2
45 or 135
45, 90, 135 or 270
Example (10)
Find all the values of in the range 0 360 satisfying
1
cos A 30 cos A
2
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Solution
1
cos A 30 cos A
2
1
cos A cos30 sin A sin 30 cos A
2
3 1 1
cos A sin A cos A
2 2 2
3 1 cos A sin A
sin A
1 3
cos A
tan A 1 3
A 143.8 or 323.8 nearest 0.1
Example (11)
Find all the values of in the range 0 360 satisfying
1 2cos 2x 3cos x
Solution
1 2cos 2x 3cos x
1 2 2cos2 x 1 3cos x
1 4cos2 x 2 3cos x
4 cos2 x 3cos x 1 0
4cos x 1 cos x 1 0
1
cos x or cos x 1
4
1
cos x x 104.5 or 255.5 nearest 0.1
4
cos x 1 x 0 or x 360
x 0, 75.5, 284.5 or 360
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