Trigonometric identities
Paper 1 uses just two trigonometric identities, and , but it uses them hard: to prove other identities, to simplify expressions, to find exact values, and above all to turn an equation that mixes functions into one you can solve. A "prove the identity" question worth 3 or 4 marks appears on most papers, often followed by "hence solve". This note covers the identities and how to prove things with them; solving the resulting equations is in Solving trigonometric equations.
Identities and equations
An equation such as is true only for particular values of , which you find by solving. An identity is true for every value of for which both sides are defined. The symbol ("is identically equal to") marks an identity.
That difference controls how you work. You solve an equation by doing the same thing to both sides. You prove an identity by transforming one side, step by step, until it becomes the other side.
The two identities
Tangent as a quotient
On the unit circle the point at angle is , and is the gradient of the radius to that point:
The Pythagorean identity
The point lies on the circle . Substituting gives
This is Pythagoras's theorem in the right-angled triangle with hypotenuse , and it holds for every angle. Here means .
The graphs of and are mirror images about : wherever one is high the other is low, and at every their heights add up to exactly .
Rearranged forms you will use constantly:
Dividing by gives a third useful form:
The last form is just a consequence; in Paper 3 it is written with . On Paper 1 derive it when you need it, as above.
Proving identities
- Start with the more complicated side (usually the one with fractions, or with ).
- Rewrite as if it helps to have only sines and cosines.
- Combine fractions over a common denominator, or split a fraction into parts.
- Look for (replace by ), (replace by ) or (replace by ).
- Factorise, including differences of two squares: and .
- Stop when you reach the other side exactly, and write a concluding line: " RHS".
A useful trick for fractions with or : multiply top and bottom by the "conjugate" (for example ), so the denominator becomes .
If you cannot see how to start, try working on both sides separately until they meet in the middle. This is a valid proof provided every step is reversible and you say clearly that both sides equal the same expression.
Using identities to find values
One ratio from another, algebraically
The triangle method in Exact values and angles of any size is usually quickest, but the identity works too: if then , so , and the quadrant chooses the sign.
Expressions in and given
An expression whose top and bottom are both of the form can be found directly from : divide every term by .
Rewriting equations
The most important use. An equation such as contains two different functions. Replacing by gives a quadratic in alone, which can then be solved (see Equations that are quadratic in a function of x). Cambridge usually asks you to "show that the equation can be written as ..." first.
Worked examples
Prove the identity .
Solution
Prove that .
Solution
Multiply the top and bottom of the left-hand side by :
Prove that .
Solution
Prove the identity .
Solution
Replace and multiply the top and bottom by :
Given that , find the exact value of .
Solution
Divide every term, top and bottom, by :
The quadrant of does not matter: the answer is the same whether is in the first or third quadrant.
Show that the equation can be written as , and hence find the values of for .
Solution
Factorise: . is impossible, so , giving or . (The method for finding all solutions is in Solving trigonometric equations.)
Prove that .
Solution
A point moves so that its coordinates are and . Find an equation connecting and that does not involve .
Solution
and . Using :
(This curve is an ellipse; you do not need to know that for Paper 1.)
Treating an identity like an equation. Do not start with "LHS RHS" and move terms across: that assumes what you are trying to prove. Work on one side only.
versus . . Writing suggests the sine of .
False "identities". is not , is not , and is not .
Cancelling terms instead of factors. In you may cancel because it multiplies everything. In you may not cancel .
Losing a sign with . . Bracket what you subtract.
- "Prove" or "show that". Every line should follow from the one before, and the final line must match the target exactly. Examiners withhold the last mark for a proof that "fizzles out" with no conclusion.
- Use or consistently. Writing "LHS RHS" is the clearest layout.
- "Hence". After proving an identity, "hence solve" means replace the left side by the simpler right side, then solve. Not using the identity usually means a long or impossible route.
- Show the identity substitution. Write before expanding, so the examiner sees which identity you used.
- Values from tangent. Divide by rather than finding and separately; it avoids sign errors.
- An identity holds for all values; prove it by transforming one side into the other.
- and ; also , , .
- Proof tactics: write tan in terms of sin and cos, combine fractions, use the Pythagorean identity, factorise (including differences of squares), multiply by .
- Given , evaluate by dividing by .
- To solve an equation mixing and (or and ), replace the square so only one function remains.
- To eliminate from expressions for and , use .
Practice questions
- Prove that .
- Prove that .
- Prove that .
- Prove that .
- Prove that .
- Given that , find the exact value of .
- Show that the equation can be written as , and hence find the values of for .
- Given that and is in the third quadrant, use the identity to find the exact values of and .
- A point has coordinates , . Show that, for all values of , the point lies on a circle, and state its centre and radius.
- (a) Prove that . (b) Hence solve for .
Answers
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Dividing by : .
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, so , giving . Factorise: . is impossible; gives or .
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, so . In the third quadrant sine is negative: . Then .
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and . Then , i.e. : a circle with centre and radius .
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(a) . (b) , so and or . Neither makes or , so both are valid.