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A student was asked to prove the identity:

tan X + cot X = sec X csc X

PLEASE SHOW WORK

A student was asked to prove the identity: tan X + cot X = sec X csc X PLEASE SHOW-example-1

1 Answer

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Answer:

We can start with the left side of the identity and try to manipulate it algebraically to transform it into the right side:

Left side: tan X + cot X

We know that cot X is equal to 1/tan X, so we can substitute this expression in for cot X:

Left side: tan X + 1/tan X

Next, we can use the identity that (a + 1/a) = (a^2 + 1)/a to rewrite the expression as a single fraction:

Left side: (tan^2 X + 1)/tan X

We can then use the trigonometric identity that 1 + tan^2 X = sec^2 X to substitute in for the numerator:

Left side: sec^2 X / tan X

Finally, we can use the identity that csc X = 1/sin X to substitute in for tan X:

Left side: sec^2 X / (sin X / cos X)

We can simplify this expression by multiplying the numerator and denominator by cos X:

Left side: (sec^2 X * cos X) / sin X

We know that sec X is equal to 1/cos X, so we can substitute this expression in for sec X:

Left side: (cos X / cos X * sin X) = cos X * csc X

Therefore, we have shown that the left side (tan X + cot X) is equal to the right side (sec X csc X), and the identity is proven:

tan X + cot X = sec X csc X

answered
User Russ Savage
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