JHS

Elective Mathematics 9
Fourth Quarter
Week 3 Module
Tangent: Sum and Difference
Identities

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Writer: Judith G. Palma

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Reviewer: Mary Jane A. Amion

Approved by: Emelita D. Bautista, Ed. D.

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After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. To develop and use formulas for the tangent of a sum or difference of two
angle measures

To use tangent identities, you may have to rationalize denominators.

The sum identities for sine and cosine lead to the sum identity for tangent.

Sum Identity for Tangent

tan 𝛼 + tan 𝛽
tan(𝛼 + 𝛽) = , tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 ≠ 1
1 − tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽

sin(𝛼+𝛽) sin 𝜃
Therefore, tan(𝛼 + 𝛽) = cos(𝛼+𝛽) tan 𝜃 = cos 𝜃

sin 𝛼 cos 𝛽+cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽

= cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽−sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽

sin 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛽

+
cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽
= cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽 𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚 𝑏𝑦 cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽.
−
cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽 cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽

sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
+
cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽
= sin 𝛼 sin 𝛽
1−( )( )
cos 𝛼 cos 𝛽

tan 𝛼+tan 𝛽
= 1−tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽

EXAMPLE 1

Find the exact value of tan 345°

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 345° = 300° + 45°, let 𝛼 = 300° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛽 = 45°.

tan 345° = tan (300° + 45°)

tan 300°+tan 45°

= 1−tan 300° tan 45° Sum identity for tangent

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 −√3+1
= 1−(−
√3)(1)

−√3+1
= 1+√3

1−√3 1−√3
= (1+ 3) (1− 3) Simplify using the conjugate.
√ √

1−2√3+3 4−2√3
= =
1−3 −2

= −2 + √3

The difference identity for tangent can be derived from the sum identity.

Difference Identity for Tangent

tan 𝛼 − tan 𝛽
tan (𝛼 − 𝛽) = , tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 ≠ −1
1 + tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽

The proof makes use of the sum identity for tangent and the identity tan(−𝛽) = − tan 𝛽.
The proof of tan(−𝛽) = − tan 𝛽 is given first.

sin(−𝛽) − sin 𝛽
tan(−𝛽) = = = − tan 𝛽
cos(−𝛽) cos 𝛽

Then, tan(𝛼 − 𝛽) = tan[𝛼 + (−𝛽)]

tan 𝛼+tan(−𝛽)
= 1−tan 𝛼 tan(−𝛽) Sum identity for tangent

tan 𝛼−tan 𝛽
= 1+tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 tan(−𝛽) = − tan 𝛽

EXAMPLE 2
5𝜋
Find the exact value of tan 12 .

5𝜋 8𝜋 3𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
Since 12
= 12
− 12 = 3
− 4 , 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝛼 = 3
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝛽 = 4 .

5𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
tan 12
= tan ( 3 − 4 )

2𝜋 𝜋
tan −tan
= 3
2𝜋
4
𝜋 Difference identity for tangent
1+tan tan
3 4

−√3−1 −√3−1
= 1+(− =
√3)(1) 1−√3

−√3−1 1+√3 −4−2√3

= ( 1− 3
) (1+ 3) = −2
√ √

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 = 2 + √3

Note that tan(𝛼 + 𝛽) ≠ tan 𝛼 + tan 𝛽 𝑎𝑛𝑑 tan(𝛼 − 𝛽) ≠ tan 𝛼 − tan 𝛽.

EXAMPLE 3
4 5
Find the exact values of tan (𝛼 + 𝛽) 𝑖𝑓 sin 𝛼 = 5 , cos 𝛽 = − 13 ,
𝜋 𝜋
0 < 𝛼 < , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 < 𝛽 < 𝜋.
2 2
4
To find tan 𝛼, note that sin 𝛼 = 5
and 𝛼 is in quadrant I. Use 𝑦 = 4 and
𝑟 = 5, and calculate x.

𝑥 = ±√52 − (4)2 = ±3

Since 𝛼 is in quadrant I, 𝑥 = 3
4
and tan 𝛼 = 3 .

5
To find tan 𝛽 , note that cos 𝛽 = − 13
and 𝛽 is in quadrant II.
Use 𝑥 = −5 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟 = 13, and find y.

𝑦 = ±√132 − (−5)2 = ±12

12
Since 𝛽 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐼𝐼, 𝑦 = 12 𝑎𝑛𝑑 tan 𝛽 = − 5

tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽
Then, tan (𝛼 + 𝛽) = 1−tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 Sum identity for tangent

4 12
+(− ) 15
= 3
4
5
12 To simplify, multiply by
1−( )(− ) 15
3 5

20−36
= 15+48

16
=−
63

The sum and difference identities for tangent can be used to prove other
identities.

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EXAMPLE 4

Prove: tan (𝜋 + 𝜃) = tan 𝜃

tan (𝜋 + 𝜃) tan 𝜃

tan 𝜋+tan 𝜃
1−tan 𝜋 tan 𝜃

0+tan 𝜃
1−(0)(tan 𝜃)

tan 𝜃
1

tan 𝜃 = =

Thus, tan (𝜋 + 𝜃) = tan 𝜃.

A. Write each expression in terms of the tangent of one angle.

tan 40°+tan 20°
1.
1−tan 40° tan 20°

5𝜋 4𝜋
tan −tan
2. 9
5𝜋
9
4𝜋
1+tan tan
9 9

𝜋 𝜋
tan −tan
3. 𝜋
4 4
𝜋
1+tan tan
4 4

B. Tell whether each of the following statements is true or false.

tan 90°+tan 10°
1. tan 100° = 1+tan 90° tan 10°

tan 40°+tan 5°
2. tan 45° = 1−tan 40° tan 5°

tan 80°−tan 5°
3. tan 75° = 1+tan 70° tan 5°

tan 45°−tan 20°

4. tan 25° = 1+tan 20° tan 45°

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C. Use the sum or the difference identity for tangent to find the exact value of each
trigonometric function.
1. tan 255°
2. tan 15°
5𝜋 𝜋
3. tan ( + )
3 4
4𝜋 3𝜋
4. tan ( 3 + 4)

Sum Identity for Tangent

tan 𝛼 + tan 𝛽
tan(𝛼 + 𝛽) = , tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 ≠ 1
1 − tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽

Difference Identity for Tangent

tan 𝛼 − tan 𝛽
tan (𝛼 − 𝛽) = , tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽 ≠ −1
1 + tan 𝛼 tan 𝛽

A. Use the sum or the difference identity for tangent to find the exact value of each
trigonometric function.
1. tan 105°
2. tan 285°
3. tan(−15°)
5𝜋
4. tan (− )
12

B. Find the exact value of tan (𝛼 + 𝛽).

3 5 3𝜋 3𝜋
1. cos 𝛼 = 5 , sin 𝛽 = − 13 , 2
< 𝛼 < 2𝜋, 𝜋 < 𝛽 < 2
7 5 3𝜋 𝜋
2. cos 𝛼 = 25 , sin 𝛽 = 13 , 2
< 𝛼 < 2𝜋, 0 < 𝛽 < 2

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C. Find the exact value of tan (𝛼 − 𝛽).
7 4 𝜋 𝜋
1. cos 𝛼 = 25 , cos 𝛽 = − 5 , 0 < 𝛼 < 2 , 2 < 𝛽 < 𝜋
3 5 𝜋 3𝜋
2. cos 𝛼 = 5 , cos 𝛽 = 13 , 0 < 𝛼 < 2 ,2
< 𝛽 < 2𝜋

A. Use the sum or the difference identity for tangent to prove each identity.
1−tan 𝛼
1. tan(45° − 𝛼) = 1+tan 𝛼

2. tan(180° + 𝛼) = tan 𝛼
3. tan(360° + 𝛼) = tan 𝛼
3𝜋 tan 𝛼−1
4. tan ( 4 + 𝛼) = tan 𝛼+1

B. Prove each identity.

1. tan (𝛽 + 45°) + tan (𝛽 − 45°) = 2 tan 2𝛽
1+𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝛽
2. tan (𝛽 + 45°) + tan (45° − 𝛽) = 2
1−𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝛽

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References:
Jerome D. Hayden and Bettye C. Hall (1993) Prentice Hall Trigonometry. Low Price
Edition
Mirla S. Esparrago and Nestor V. Reyes, Jr. (2004) Advanced Algebra, Trigonometry
and Statistics. Phoenix Publishing House , Inc.

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