Question #1cfd6

1 Answer
Mar 17, 2017

We want to prove:

#2tanxcos^2(x/2)=sinx+tanx#

We'll modify only the left-hand side of this equation. Let's start by trying to find a way to rewrite #cos^2(x/2)# using other identities. Start with the cosine double angle formula:

#cos(2x)=2cos^2x-1#

Which is the same as saying:

#cosx=2cos^2(x/2)-1#

So:

#2cos^2(x/2)=cosx+1#

Then our original expression on the left can become:

#2tanxcos^2(x/2)=tanx[2cos^2(x/2)]=tanx(cosx+1)#

Expanding this, it becomes:

#=tanxcosx+tanx#

Since #tanx=sinx/cosx#:

#=sinx/cosxcosx+tanx=sinx+tanx#

Which is the right-hand side of the equation, so we've proved the identity.