7.3 Double-angle, half-angle, and reduction formulas (Page 3/8)

Precalculus

Page 3 / 8

Using the power-reducing formulas to prove an identity

Use the power-reducing formulas to prove

\sin^{3} (2 x) = [\frac{1}{2} \sin (2 x)] [1 - \cos (4 x)]

We will work on simplifying the left side of the equation:

\begin{array}{l} \sin^{3} (2 x) = [\sin (2 x)] [\sin^{2} (2 x)] \\ = \sin (2 x) [\frac{1 - \cos (4 x)}{2}] & Substitute the power-reduction formula . \\ = \sin (2 x) (\frac{1}{2}) [1 - \cos (4 x)] \\ = \frac{1}{2} [\sin (2 x)] [1 - \cos (4 x)] \end{array}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Try It

Use the power-reducing formulas to prove that $10 \cos^{4} x = \frac{15}{4} + 5 \cos (2 x) + \frac{5}{4} \cos (4 x) .$

$\begin{array}{l} 10 \cos^{4} x = 10 \cos^{4} x = 10 {(\cos^{2} x)}^{2} \\ = 10 {[\frac{1 + \cos (2 x)}{2}]}^{2} & {Substitute reduction formula for cos}^{2} x . \\ = \frac{10}{4} [1 + 2 \cos (2 x) + \cos^{2} (2 x)] \\ = \frac{10}{4} + \frac{10}{2} \cos (2 x) + \frac{10}{4} (\frac{1 + \cos 2 (2 x)}{2}) & {Substitute reduction formula for cos}^{2} x . \\ = \frac{10}{4} + \frac{10}{2} \cos (2 x) + \frac{10}{8} + \frac{10}{8} \cos (4 x) \\ = \frac{30}{8} + 5 \cos (2 x) + \frac{10}{8} \cos (4 x) \\ = \frac{15}{4} + 5 \cos (2 x) + \frac{5}{4} \cos (4 x) \end{array}$

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Using half-angle formulas to find exact values

The next set of identities is the set of half-angle formulas , which can be derived from the reduction formulas and we can use when we have an angle that is half the size of a special angle. If we replace $θ$ with $\frac{α}{2},$ the half-angle formula for sine is found by simplifying the equation and solving for $\sin (\frac{α}{2}) .$ Note that the half-angle formulas are preceded by a $\pm$ sign. This does not mean that both the positive and negative expressions are valid. Rather, it depends on the quadrant in which $\frac{α}{2}$ terminates.

The half-angle formula for sine is derived as follows:

\begin{array}{l} \sin^{2} θ = \frac{1 - \cos (2 θ)}{2} \\ \sin^{2} (\frac{α}{2}) = \frac{1 - (\cos 2 \cdot \frac{α}{2})}{2} \\ = \frac{1 - \cos α}{2} \\ \sin (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{2}} \end{array}

To derive the half-angle formula for cosine, we have

\begin{array}{l} \cos^{2} θ = \frac{1 + \cos (2 θ)}{2} \\ \cos^{2} (\frac{α}{2}) = \frac{1 + \cos (2 \cdot \frac{α}{2})}{2} \\ = \frac{1 + \cos α}{2} \\ \cos (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 + \cos α}{2}} \end{array}

For the tangent identity, we have

\begin{array}{l} \tan^{2} θ = \frac{1 - \cos (2 θ)}{1 + \cos (2 θ)} \\ \tan^{2} (\frac{α}{2}) = \frac{1 - \cos (2 \cdot \frac{α}{2})}{1 + \cos (2 \cdot \frac{α}{2})} \\ = \frac{1 - \cos α}{1 + \cos α} \\ \tan (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{1 + \cos α}} \end{array}

A General Note

Half-angle formulas

The half-angle formulas are as follows:

\sin (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{2}}

\cos (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 + \cos α}{2}}

\begin{array}{l} \tan (\frac{α}{2}) = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{1 + \cos α}} \\ = \frac{\sin α}{1 + \cos α} \\ = \frac{1 - \cos α}{\sin α} \end{array}

Using a half-angle formula to find the exact value of a sine function

Find $\sin (15^{\circ})$ using a half-angle formula.

Since $15^{\circ} = \frac{30^{\circ}}{2},$ we use the half-angle formula for sine:

\begin{array}{l} \begin{array}{l} \sin \frac{30^{\circ}}{2} = \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos 30^{\circ}}{2}} \end{array} \\ = \sqrt{\frac{1 - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}}{2}} \\ = \sqrt{\frac{\frac{2 - \sqrt{3}}{2}}{2}} \\ = \sqrt{\frac{2 - \sqrt{3}}{4}} \\ = \frac{\sqrt{2 - \sqrt{3}}}{2} \end{array}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

How To

Given the tangent of an angle and the quadrant in which the angle lies, find the exact values of trigonometric functions of half of the angle.

Draw a triangle to represent the given information.
Determine the correct half-angle formula.
Substitute values into the formula based on the triangle.
Simplify.

Finding exact values using half-angle identities

Given that $\tan α = \frac{8}{15}$ and $α$ lies in quadrant III, find the exact value of the following:

$\sin (\frac{α}{2})$
$\cos (\frac{α}{2})$
$\tan (\frac{α}{2})$

Using the given information, we can draw the triangle shown in [link] . Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we find the hypotenuse to be 17. Therefore, we can calculate $\sin α = - \frac{8}{17}$ and $\cos α = - \frac{15}{17} .$

Diagram of a triangle in the x,y-plane. The vertices are at the origin, (-15,0), and (-15,-8). The angle at the origin is alpha. The angle formed by the side (-15,-8) to (-15,0) forms a right angle with the x axis. The hypotenuse across from the right angle is length 17.

Before we start, we must remember that, if $α$ is in quadrant III, then $180° < α < 270°,$ so $\frac{180°}{2} < \frac{α}{2} < \frac{270°}{2} .$ This means that the terminal side of $\frac{α}{2}$ is in quadrant II, since $90° < \frac{α}{2} < 135° .$
To find $\sin \frac{α}{2},$ we begin by writing the half-angle formula for sine. Then we substitute the value of the cosine we found from the triangle in [link] and simplify.

$\begin{array}{l} \begin{array}{l} \sin \frac{α}{2} = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{2}} \end{array} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - (- \frac{15}{17})}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{\frac{32}{17}}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{32}{17} \cdot \frac{1}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{16}{17}} \\ = \pm \frac{4}{\sqrt{17}} \\ = \frac{4 \sqrt{17}}{17} \end{array}$

We choose the positive value of $\sin \frac{α}{2}$ because the angle terminates in quadrant II and sine is positive in quadrant II.
To find $\cos \frac{α}{2},$ we will write the half-angle formula for cosine, substitute the value of the cosine we found from the triangle in [link] , and simplify.
$\begin{array}{l} \begin{array}{l} \cos \frac{α}{2} = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 + \cos α}{2}} \end{array} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 + (- \frac{15}{17})}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{\frac{2}{17}}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{2}{17} \cdot \frac{1}{2}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1}{17}} \\ = - \frac{\sqrt{17}}{17} \end{array}$

We choose the negative value of $\cos \frac{α}{2}$ because the angle is in quadrant II because cosine is negative in quadrant II.
To find $\tan \frac{α}{2},$ we write the half-angle formula for tangent. Again, we substitute the value of the cosine we found from the triangle in [link] and simplify.
$\begin{array}{l} \begin{array}{l} \tan \frac{α}{2} = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - \cos α}{1 + \cos α}} \end{array} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{1 - (- \frac{15}{17})}{1 + (- \frac{15}{17})}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{\frac{32}{17}}{\frac{2}{17}}} \\ = \pm \sqrt{\frac{32}{2}} \\ = - \sqrt{16} \\ = - 4 \end{array}$

We choose the negative value of $\tan \frac{α}{2}$ because $\frac{α}{2}$ lies in quadrant II, and tangent is negative in quadrant II.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

<< Chapter < Page Page > Chapter >>

Practice Key Terms 3

Read also:

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

100% Free Mobile Applications
Receive real-time job alerts and never miss the right job again

Source: OpenStax, Precalculus. OpenStax CNX. Jan 19, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11667/1.6

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Precalculus' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask

	5 Key equations By OpenStax Read Online Course
	3 Use reduction formulas to simplify an expression By OpenStax Read Online Course
	8 AP 08 Appendicular Skeleton MCQ By OpenStax Start Quiz
	Fireside Poets Quiz By Alec Moffit Start Quiz
	Power Enigeering types of bearing lubrication By Sam Luong Start Quiz
	32 Biology 32 Plant Reproduction MCQ By OpenStax Start Quiz
	28 AP Key Terms 28 Development Inheritance By OpenStax Start Key Terms
	Chemistry Final By Briana Hamilton Start Flashcards
	3 AP Key Terms 03 Cellular Level of Organization By OpenStax Start Key Terms
©flickr:	The Minute Man Hose Load By Michael Pitt Start Quiz
	Fundamentals of electrical engineering i By OpenStax Read Online Course
	Biology Exam Final By Savannah Parrish Start Exam