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sin(15)=sin(15) (Posted on 2007-06-25) Difficulty: 2 of 5
When teaching trigonometry we come across both the difference identities and the half angle identities. Each of these can give what look like very different values for the same thing.

For example by the angle difference identity:
sin(15)=sin(45-30)=sin(45)cos(30)-cos(45)sin(30)
=√2/2*√3/2 - √2/2*1/2
=(√6-√2)/4

Whereas by the half angle identity
sin(15)=sin(30/2)=√((1-cos(30))/2)
=√((1-√3/2)/2)
=√(2-√3)/2

While these are undoubtedly the same, they look very different, especially the second with its radical within a radical. Can you show algebraically that they are indeed equivalent?

  Submitted by Jer    
Rating: 3.3333 (3 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
Square each and they both simplify to (2-√(3))/4

This is only proves they are equal if they are both positive in the first place, but they are so it's ok.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
SolutionSolutionK Sengupta2007-06-25 11:56:02
SolutionSolutionOld Original Oskar!2007-06-25 09:18:49
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