Problem 60

Question

Verify each identity. \(\frac{\sin x+\cos x}{\sin x}-\frac{\cos x-\sin x}{\cos x}=\sec x \csc x\)

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
\(\frac{\sin x+\cos x}{\sin x}-\frac{\cos x-\sin x}{\cos x}\) simplifies to \(\sec x \csc x\), hence the original identity is verified.
1Step 1: Divide the Numerators by Denominators
Begin by simplifying each fraction involving sine and cosine functions on the left side of the equation \(\frac{\sin x+\cos x}{\sin x}-\frac{\cos x-\sin x}{\cos x} =1+ \frac{\cos x}{\sin x} -1 + \frac{\sin x}{\cos x}= \frac{\cos x}{\sin x} + \frac{\sin x}{\cos x}\)
2Step 2: Apply Trigonometric Identities
The second step involves substituting the reciprocals of both the sine and cosine functions, which will lead to the secant and cosecant identities: \(\frac{1}{\sin x}+\frac{1}{\cos x}\)
3Step 3: Match Both Sides
After the manipulations, one can observe that both sides of the equation now match. Therefore, it can be deduced that the original identity provided is indeed correct.

Key Concepts

Verifying Trigonometric IdentitiesSine and Cosine FunctionsSecant and Cosecant Identities
Verifying Trigonometric Identities
The process of verifying trigonometric identities often involves a sequence of algebraic and trigonometric steps to show that two expressions are equivalent. This can include factoring, finding common denominators, and using known trigonometric identities such as reciprocal identities and Pythagorean identities.

When seeking to prove an identity like \( \frac{\sin x+\cos x}{\sin x}-\frac{\cos x-\sin x}{\cos x}=\sec x \csc x \), the first step is to simplify each term separately. For the left-side expression, dividing the numerators by the respective denominators simplifies to individual terms — some of which cancel each other out because they are additive inverses. What remains are terms that involve the reciprocal of sine and cosine functions. This leads to an expression involving secant and cosecant, which are directly related to sine and cosine through their identities. The aim is to manipulate the terms until they look exactly like the right side of the original identity. When both sides match, the identity is verified.

To enhance understanding, visual aids illustrating the unit circle and the definitions of sine, cosine, secant, and cosecant can be helpful.
Sine and Cosine Functions
Sine (\(\sin\)) and cosine (\(\cos\)) functions are fundamental in trigonometry, defined for any angle on the unit circle. They represent the y-coordinate and x-coordinate of a point on the unit circle, respectively.

  • \(\sin x\) corresponds to the vertical displacement from the x-axis.
  • \(\cos x\) corresponds to the horizontal displacement from the y-axis.
The sine and cosine values oscillate between -1 and 1, creating wave-like graphs. Understanding the unit circle and these functions' periodicity is essential when transforming expressions and solving trigonometric equations.

In practice, algebraic manipulation becomes necessary to simplify and compare trigonometric expressions. When dealing with fractions, such as in the exercise \(\frac{\sin x+\cos x}{\sin x}-\frac{\cos x-\sin x}{\cos x}\), recognizing when a term can be split into simpler fractions, or combined through common denominators, is a strategy that simplifies the verification process.
Secant and Cosecant Identities
Secant (\(\sec\)) and cosecant (\(\csc\)) are less common but equally important trigonometric functions, defined as the reciprocal of cosine and sine, respectively. Here are their identities:

  • \(\sec x = \frac{1}{\cos x}\)
  • \(\csc x = \frac{1}{\sin x}\)
Knowing these identities allows you to transition between different forms of trigonometric expressions. For instance, the expression \( \frac{\cos x}{\sin x} + \frac{\sin x}{\cos x} \) seen in Step 1 of the solution can be translated to \(\sec x + \csc x\) using these reciprocal identities.

When you encounter secant or cosecant in an exercise, you should immediately think of their relationship to cosine and sine as this will often lead to simplification opportunities. For example, multiplying by the reciprocal function can help combine terms or facilitate other algebraic manipulations, ultimately helping to verify identities and solve equations involving these functions.