List of trigonometric identities
A trigonometric identity is an equation involving trigonometric functions which is true for all values of the occurring variables. These identities are useful whenever expressions involving trigonometric functions need to be simplified. An important application is the integration of non-trigonometric functions: a common trick involves first using the substitution rule with a trigonometric function, and then simplifying the resulting integral with a trigonometric identity.
Notation: With trigonometric functions, we define functions sin2, cos2, etc., such that sin2(x) = (sin(x))2.
From the Definitions
- tan(x) = sin(x) / cos(x)
- cot(x) = 1 / tan(x)
- sec(x) = 1 / cos(x)
- csc(x) = 1 / sin(x)
Periodicity, Symmetry and Shifts
These are easiest proven from the unit circle:
- sin(x) = sin(x + 2π)
- cos(x) = cos(x + 2π)
- tan(x) = tan(x + π)
- sin(–x) = –sin(x)
- cos(–x) = cos(x)
- tan(–x) = –tan(x)
- cot(–x) = –cot(x)
- sin(x) = cos(π/2 – x)
- cos(x) = sin(π/2 – x)
- tan(x) = cot(π/2 – x)
From the Pythagorean Theorem
- sin2(x) + cos2(x) = 1
- tan2(x) + 1 = sec2(x)
- cot2(x) + 1 = csc2(x)
Addition Theorems
The quickest way to prove these is Euler's formula. The tangent formula follows from the other two.
- sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y)
- cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) – sin(x) sin(y)
- tan(x + y) = (tan(x) + tan(y)) / (1 – tan(x) tan(y))
Double Angle Formulas
These can be shown by substituting x = y in the addition theorems, and using the Pythagorean formula for the latter two. Or use de Moivres formula with n = 2.
- sin(2x) = 2 sin (x) cos(x)
- cos(2x) = cos2(x) – sin2(x)
- cos(2x) = 2 cos2(x) – 1
- cos(2x) = 1 – 2 sin2(x)
Power Reduction Formulas
Solve the third and fourth double angle formula for cos2(x) and sin2(x).
- cos2(x) = (1 + cos(2x)) / 2
- sin2(x) = (1 – cos(2x)) / 2
Half Angle Formulas
Substitute x/2 for x in the power reduction formulas, then solve for cos(x/2) and sin(x/2).
- |cos(x/2)| = √((1 + cos(x)) / 2)
- |sin(x/2)| = √((1 – cos(x)) / 2)
Multiply tan(x/2) by 2cos(x/2) / ( 2cos(x/2)) and substitute sin(x/2) / cos(x/2) for tan(x/2). The numerator is then sin(x) via the double angle formula, and the denominator is 2cos2(x/2) - 1 + 1 which is cos(x) + 1 by the double angle formulae. The second formula comes from the first formula multiplied by sin(x) / sin(x) and simplified using the pythagorean trig identity.
- tan(x/2) = sin(x) / (cos(x) + 1) = (1 – cos(x)) / sin(x)
Products to Sums
These can be proven by expanding their right-hand-sides using the addition theorems.
- cos(x) cos(y) = (cos(x + y) + cos(x – y)) / 2
- sin(x) sin(y) = (cos(x – y) – cos(x + y)) / 2
- sin(x) cos(y) = (sin(x + y) + sin(x – y)) / 2
Sums to Products
Replace x by (x + y) / 2 and y by (x – y) / 2 in the Product-to-Sum formulas.
- sin(x) + sin(y) = 2 sin((x + y) / 2) cos((x – y) / 2)
- cos(x) + cos(y) = 2 cos((x + y) / 2) cos((x – y) / 2)
If the trigonometric functions are defined in terms of geometry, then their derivatives can be found by first verifying that limx->0 sin(x) / x = 1 and then using the limit definition of the derivative and the addition theorems; if they are defined by their Taylor series, then the derivatives can be found by differentiating the power series term by term.
- d/dx sin(x) = cos(x)
The rest of the trig functions can be differentiated using the above identities and the rules of differentiation, for instance
- d/dx cos(x) = –sin(x)
- d/dx tan(x) = sec2(x)
The integral identities can be found in Wikipedia's table of integrals.