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Trigonometry – Double angle formulae

📘 Notes

🧮 Double Angle Formulae

The double angle formulae allow us to express trigonometric functions of \( 2\theta \) in terms of functions of \( \theta \). These are useful in simplifying trigonometric expressions, solving equations, and calculus applications.

1. Sine Double Angle

Starting from \(\sin(A+B) = \sin A \cos B + \cos A \sin B\), if we let \( A = B = \theta \), then \[ \sin(2\theta) = \sin(\theta + \theta) = \sin\theta\cos\theta + \cos\theta\sin\theta = 2\sin\theta\cos\theta. \]

✅ Formula: \(\displaystyle \sin(2\theta) = 2\sin\theta\cos\theta\).

2. Cosine Double Angle

Using \(\cos(A+B) = \cos A \cos B - \sin A \sin B\), \[ \cos(2\theta) = \cos^2\theta - \sin^2\theta. \] We can also rewrite using the Pythagorean identity \(\sin^2\theta + \cos^2\theta = 1\): \[ \cos(2\theta) = 1 - 2\sin^2\theta \] or \[ \cos(2\theta) = 2\cos^2\theta - 1. \]

✅ Formulas: \[ \cos(2\theta) = \cos^2\theta - \sin^2\theta = 1 - 2\sin^2\theta = 2\cos^2\theta - 1. \]

3. Tangent Double Angle

Using \(\tan(2\theta) = \dfrac{\sin(2\theta)}{\cos(2\theta)}\), and substituting the double angle expressions: \[ \tan(2\theta) = \frac{2\sin\theta\cos\theta}{\cos^2\theta - \sin^2\theta}. \] Divide numerator and denominator by \(\cos^2\theta\): \[ \tan(2\theta) = \frac{2\tan\theta}{1 - \tan^2\theta}. \]

✅ Formula: \(\displaystyle \tan(2\theta) = \frac{2\tan\theta}{1 - \tan^2\theta}\), provided \(\tan\theta \neq \pm 1\).


📝 Examples

Example 1: If \(\sin\theta = \frac{3}{5}\) and \(\cos\theta = \frac{4}{5}\), find \(\sin(2\theta)\).

\[ \sin(2\theta) = 2\sin\theta\cos\theta = 2 \times \frac{3}{5} \times \frac{4}{5} = \frac{24}{25}. \]

Example 2: If \(\cos\theta = \frac{5}{13}\), find \(\cos(2\theta)\).

First find \(\sin\theta\): \(\sin^2\theta = 1 - \cos^2\theta = 1 - \frac{25}{169} = \frac{144}{169}\), so \(\sin\theta = \frac{12}{13}\). \[ \cos(2\theta) = \cos^2\theta - \sin^2\theta = \frac{25}{169} - \frac{144}{169} = -\frac{119}{169}. \]

Example 3: If \(\tan\theta = 2\), find \(\tan(2\theta)\).

\[ \tan(2\theta) = \frac{2\tan\theta}{1 - \tan^2\theta} = \frac{2(2)}{1 - (2)^2} = \frac{4}{-3} = -\frac{4}{3}. \]


📌 Key Points:

  • Double angle formulae are derived from sum of angles identities.
  • There are three equivalent forms of the cosine double angle formula — choose the one best suited to the problem.
  • Watch the domain: \(\tan(2\theta)\) is undefined when \(\tan\theta = \pm 1\).
  • These identities are particularly useful in integration, differentiation, and solving trigonometric equations.