Sum and Difference of Two Angle Identities

1. Sum and Difference for Sine and Cosine

If ! and " represent the measures of two angles, then the following
identities hold for all values of ! and ".

sin(! + ") = *+, ! ./* " + ./* ! *+, "

sin(! − ") = *+, ! ./* " − ./* ! *+, "
cos(! + ") = ./* ! ./* " − *+, ! *+, "
cos(! − ") = ./* ! ./* " + *+, ! *+, "

Example 1:
Find *+, 105° and ./* 105° using the sum and difference identities.

Solution for *+, 105°:

Let 7 = 60° and " = 60°, thus
sin 105° = sin(60° + 45°)
= sin 60° cos 45° + cos 60° sin 45°
√" √# $ √#
= : # ;: # ; + #( # )

√% ' √#
sin 105° = : (
;

Solution for ./* 105° :

Let 7 = 60° and " = 60°, thus
cos 105° = cos(60° + 45°)
= cos 60° cos 45 ° − sin 60° sin 45°
$ √# √" √#
= : #; : # ; − #
(#)
√#)√%
cos 105° = ( (
)

2. Sum and Difference Identities for Tangent

*+, -
Tangent defined as <7, = = ./* - , hence identities for <7, (! ± ") can
*+,(1±3) *+, 1 ./* 3 ±./* 1 *+, 3
also be written as <7, (! ± ") = ./*(1±3) = ./* 1 ./* 3 ±*+, 1 *+, 3 and can
be simplified to

!"# $ & !"# '

tan(% − ') =
()!"# $ !"# '

!"# $ ) !"# '

tan(% + ') =
(&!"# $ !"# '

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Example 2:
Find the exact value of <7, 75°.

Solution:
Let ! = 135° and " = 60°
tan 75° = tan(135° − 60°)
56, $"7°)56, %9°
= $'56, $"7° 56, %9°

)$)√"
= $'()$)(√")

)$)√" $'√"
= $)√")
∙ $' √"

)$)√")√")"
= $)"

)$)√")√")"
= $)"

tan 75° = 2 + √3

Note: The remaining trigonometric functions of the sum and difference of two angles
identities can be found by using their reciprocal identities.
$
For example: csc(! ± ") = *+,(1±3)
Example 3:
" 7
If sin ! = 7, ! in QII and cos " = $" , " in QI, find the following:
a. sin(! − ")
b. tan(! + ")

Solutions: Solve first the other values needed like cos !, sin ", tan ! 7,G tan " .
To solve for ./* !:
"
sin ! = 7 , recall Pythagorean theorem, and definitions of six
(
trigonometric functions, then I = 3, J = 5, then = = 4, thus cos ! = − 7.
To solve for *+, ":
7
cos " = $" , recall Pythagorean theorem, and definitions of six
$#
trigonometric functions, then = = 5, J = 13, then = = 12, thus sin " = $". By
" $#
definition, tan ! = − ( 7,G tan " = 7
.

a. sin(! − ") = sin ! cos " − cos ! sin "

" 7 ( $#
= :7; :$"; − (− 7)($")

$7 (: %"
= %7
+ %7 = %7

4
 56, 1 ' 56, 3
b. tan(! + ") = $)56, 1 56, 3

! #$
) '
= " %
! #$
$)() )( )
" %
33
=
56

Double Angle Identities

1. Sine of a Double Angle
The sine of a double angle can be determined by substituting K
for both ! and " in sin(! + ").

sin(! + ") = sin ! cos " + cos ! sin "

sin(K + K) = sin K cos K + cos K sin K

sin 2K = 2 sin K cos K

2. Cosine of a Double Angle

The cosine of a double angle may be determined by substituting
K for both ! and " in cos(! + ").

cos(! + ") = cos ! cos " − sin ! sin "

cos(K + K) = cos K cos K − sin K sin K

cos 2K = cos # K − sin# K

or by Pythagorean Relation

cos 2K = 1 − sin# K − sin# K

cos 2K = 1 − 2 sin# K
or
cos 2K = 1 − 2(1 − cos # K)

cos 2K = 2 cos # K − 1

3. Tangent of a Double Angle

The tangent of a double angle may be determined by substituting
K for both ! and " in tan(! + ").

tan K + tan K
tan(K + K) =
1 − tan K tan K

2 tan K
tan 2K =
1 − tan# K

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 Note: The remaining trigonometric functions of double angle identities can be
$
found by using their reciprocal identities. For example, csc 2K = *+, #;

Examples:
1. If K = 150°, evaluate the following:
a. sin 2K b. cos 2K

Solutions:
a. sin 2K = 2 sin K cos K, if K = 150°
sin 2(150°) = 2 sin(150°) cos(150°)
$ √"
sin 300° = 2(#)(− #
)
√"
= (− #
)

b. cos 2K = cos # K − sin# K

cos 2 (150°) = cos # 150° − sin# 150°
#
√" $ #
cos 300° = :− #
; − :# ;
" $
=(−(

!
= "

$
=#

Directions: Simplify the following trigonometric expressions by applying the sum and
difference identities. Write your solution inside the corresponding box.

If ! = 210° and " = 225°, find the following:

a. sin ! + ") b. cos(! + ")

6
Directions: Simplify the following trigonometric expressions by applying the double
angle identities. Write your solution inside the corresponding box.

If % = 210° and ' = 225°,

find the exact value of the following:
a. csc 2! b. sec 2!

c. cot 2! d. tan 2"

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Directions: Summarize the functions of the sum and difference of two angles and the
double angle identities by completing the table below.

Sum and Difference of Two Angles

sin(! + ")

= *+, ! ./* " − ./* ! *+, "

tan(% − ' )

= ./* ! ./* " − *+, ! *+, "

= ./* ! ./* " + *+, ! *+, "

tan(% + ' )

Double Angle Identities

sin 2K

2 tan K
=
1 − tan# K

cos 2K