How do you simplify #cos(pi/2 - x) * csc(-x)#?

1 Answer
Apr 5, 2018

#cos(pi/2-x)*csc(-x)=-1# for #x# not a multiple of #pi#.

Explanation:

We know that the angles of a right triangle must sum to #pi# radians. Since the right angle is #pi/2# radians, the other two angles must sum to #pi/2# radians. Therefore #pi/2# minus the adjacent angle must be the opposite angle. Another way of saying this is #cos(pi/2-x)=sinx#, so

#cos(pi/2-x)*csc(-x)=sinx*csc(-x)#.

The definition of #cscx# says that #cscx=1/sinx#, so

#sinx*csc(-x)=sinx/sin(-x)#

We know that #sinx# is an odd function so #sin(-x)=-sinx# and we can write

#sinx/sin(-x)=-sinx/sinx=-1#.

However, this breaks down when #x# is a multiple of #pi# because #csc(npi)# is not defined.