Prove the identity \(\left( \frac{1}{\cos x} - \tan x \right)^2 \equiv \frac{1 - \sin x}{1 + \sin x}\).
Solution
Let \(s = \sin x\) and \(c = \cos x\).
Then \(\tan x = \frac{s}{c}\).
Substitute into the left-hand side (LHS):
\(\left( \frac{1}{c} - \frac{s}{c} \right)^2 = \left( \frac{1-s}{c} \right)^2\)
\(= \frac{(1-s)(1-s)}{c^2}\)
Using the identity \(c^2 = 1 - s^2\), we have:
\(= \frac{(1-s)(1-s)}{1-s^2}\)
Factor the denominator:
\(= \frac{(1-s)(1-s)}{(1-s)(1+s)}\)
Cancel the common factor \((1-s)\):
\(= \frac{1-s}{1+s}\)
This matches the right-hand side (RHS):
\(\frac{1 - \sin x}{1 + \sin x}\)
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