Precalculus Trigonometric Identities Worksheet Solutions (PDF)
This trig identities answers for Precalculus covers trigonometric identities (Common Core F-TF.C.8, F-TF.C.9), with a free PDF to print.
Precalculus · Common Core State Standards: F-TF.C.8, F-TF.C.9
Trig identities answers: exercises 1 to 10
Exercise 1 – Simplify a product
\(\frac{\sin x}{\cos x}\cdot\cos x=\sin x\).
\(\sin x\)
Exercise 2 – Pythagorean simplification
\(1-\cos^{2}x=\sin^{2}x\), so \(\frac{\sin^{2}x}{\sin x}\).
\(\sin x\)
Exercise 3 – Sum of squares
\(1+\tan^{2}x=\frac{1}{\cos^{2}x}\).
\(\frac{1}{\cos^{2}x}\)
Exercise 4 – Double angle values
\(\cos\theta=-\frac45\). \(\sin2\theta=2\cdot\frac35\cdot\left(-\frac45\right)=-\frac{24}{25}\). \(\cos2\theta=\frac{16}{25}-\frac{9}{25}=\frac{7}{25}\).
\(\sin2\theta=-\frac{24}{25}\); \(\cos2\theta=\frac{7}{25}\)
Exercise 5 – Exact sine of 15 degrees
\(\sin45^{\circ}\cos30^{\circ}-\cos45^{\circ}\sin30^{\circ}=\frac{\sqrt6}{4}-\frac{\sqrt2}{4}\).
\(\frac{\sqrt6-\sqrt2}{4}\)
Exercise 6 – Exact cosine of 15 degrees
\(\cos(45^{\circ}-30^{\circ})=\cos45^{\circ}\cos30^{\circ}+\sin45^{\circ}\sin30^{\circ}=\frac{\sqrt6}{4}+\frac{\sqrt2}{4}\).
\(\frac{\sqrt6+\sqrt2}{4}\)
Exercise 7 – Tangent sum
\(\frac{1+\frac{\sqrt3}{3}}{1-\frac{\sqrt3}{3}}=\frac{3+\sqrt3}{3-\sqrt3}\). Multiply by \(\frac{3+\sqrt3}{3+\sqrt3}\): \(\frac{12+6\sqrt3}{6}=2+\sqrt3\).
\(2+\sqrt3\)
Exercise 8 – Shift identity
\(\sin x\cos\frac{\pi}{2}+\cos x\sin\frac{\pi}{2}=\sin x\cdot0+\cos x\cdot1=\cos x\).
The identity holds
Exercise 9 – Verify a square
\(\sin^{2}x+2\sin x\cos x+\cos^{2}x=(\sin^{2}x+\cos^{2}x)+2\sin x\cos x=1+\sin2x\).
Verified
Exercise 10 – Verify with fractions
Common denominator \(\sin x(1+\cos x)\): numerator \(\sin^{2}x+(1+\cos x)^{2}=\sin^{2}x+1+2\cos x+\cos^{2}x=2+2\cos x=2(1+\cos x)\). Cancel \(1+\cos x\).
Verified
Exercises 11 and up
Exercise 11 – Verify tangent plus cotangent
\(\frac{\sin x}{\cos x}+\frac{\cos x}{\sin x}=\frac{\sin^{2}x+\cos^{2}x}{\sin x\cos x}=\frac{1}{\sin x\cos x}\).
Verified
Exercise 12 – Half-angle power
\(\cos^{2}\frac{\pi}{8}=\frac{1+\cos\frac{\pi}{4}}{2}=\frac{1+\frac{\sqrt2}{2}}{2}=\frac{2+\sqrt2}{4}\).
\(\frac{2+\sqrt2}{4}\)
Exercise 13 – Cosine double angle from sine
\(\cos2x=1-2\sin^{2}x=1-\frac29\).
\(\frac79\)
Exercise 14 – Solve with a double angle
\(2\sin x\cos x-\sin x=0\), so \(\sin x(2\cos x-1)=0\). \(\sin x=0\): \(x=0,\pi\). \(\cos x=\frac12\): \(x=\frac{\pi}{3},\frac{5\pi}{3}\).
\(x=0,\ \frac{\pi}{3},\ \pi,\ \frac{5\pi}{3}\)
Exercise 15 – Solve cos 2x = cos x
\(2\cos^{2}x-1=\cos x\), so \(2\cos^{2}x-\cos x-1=0\) and \((2\cos x+1)(\cos x-1)=0\). \(\cos x=1\): \(0\). \(\cos x=-\frac12\): \(\frac{2\pi}{3},\frac{4\pi}{3}\).
\(x=0,\ \frac{2\pi}{3},\ \frac{4\pi}{3}\)
Exercise 16 – Use Pythagorean to solve
Replace \(\cos^{2}x=1-\sin^{2}x\): \(2-2\sin^{2}x+\sin x-1=0\), so \(2\sin^{2}x-\sin x-1=0\) and \((2\sin x+1)(\sin x-1)=0\).
\(x=\frac{\pi}{2},\ \frac{7\pi}{6},\ \frac{11\pi}{6}\)
Exercise 17 – Projectile range
\(R(30^{\circ})=\frac{7744\sin60^{\circ}}{32}\approx 210\). \(R(45^{\circ})=\frac{7744\sin90^{\circ}}{32}=242\).
\(210\) ft and \(242\) ft
Exercise 18 – Electrical amplitude
\(\sin t\cos t=\frac12\sin2t\), so \(V=85\sin2t\).
\(V=85\sin2t\); amplitude \(85\)
Exercise 19 – Sum of two angles
\(\cos\alpha=\frac{12}{13}\), \(\sin\beta=\frac35\). \(\sin(\alpha+\beta)=\frac{5}{13}\cdot\frac45+\frac{12}{13}\cdot\frac35=\frac{56}{65}\). \(\cos(\alpha+\beta)=\frac{12}{13}\cdot\frac45-\frac{5}{13}\cdot\frac35=\frac{33}{65}\).
\(\frac{56}{65}\) and \(\frac{33}{65}\)
Exercise 20 – Prove a triple angle
\(\cos2x\cos x-\sin2x\sin x=(2\cos^{2}x-1)\cos x-2\sin^{2}x\cos x\). Replace \(\sin^{2}x=1-\cos^{2}x\): \(2\cos^{3}x-\cos x-2\cos x+2\cos^{3}x=4\cos^{3}x-3\cos x\).
Verified
Key facts behind this trig identities answers
- sin^2 x + cos^2 x = 1 and 1 + tan^2 x = 1/cos^2 x.
- tan x = sin x / cos x; csc, sec, cot are reciprocals of sin, cos, tan.
- sin(A + B) = sin A cos B + cos A sin B; cos(A + B) = cos A cos B – sin A sin B.
- sin 2A = 2 sin A cos A; cos 2A = cos^2 A – sin^2 A = 1 – 2 sin^2 A = 2 cos^2 A – 1.
- To verify an identity, work on one side only until it matches the other.
How to use this trig identities answers
Cover each solution, solve the exercise again, then uncover it and compare every line. If your answer differs, find the first step that changed and redo the exercise from there.
Download the trig identities answers as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
Download the trig identities answers as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
All Precalculus chapters: Precalculus math.
More Precalculus math
Lessons
See allWorksheets
See allTests
See allGraphs of Trigonometric Functions Test with Point Values
Introduction to Limits Test with Point Values
Polar Form and De Moivre's Theorem Test with Point Values
Transformations of Graphs Test with Point Values
Polynomial Functions and Their Graphs Test with Point Values
Exponential and Logarithmic Equations Test with Point Values

























