Simplify-write as single function?

Pingu

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
56
The question tells me to simplify the expression Cos2X*CosX+Sin2X*SinX
It says I have to write it as a single function.
What is a single function and how do I simplify Cos2X*CosX+Sin2X*SinX into a single function?
 
G'day, Pingu.

\(\displaystyle f(x) = \cos{(2x)} \cdot\ cos{x} \, + \, \sin{(2x)} \cdot \sin{x}\) passes as a function, so it may better to ask to write the expression as a single trigonometric function.

By that I mean to simplify it down to just \(\displaystyle cos(x)\) or just \(\displaystyle \sin^2{(2x)}\), for examples, as opposed to having both sin and cos in there.

A lot of this work is a bit of trial and error, playing with identities and hoping you get a nice result out. It can be quite difficult to see the end of the path from the beginning; you can just make your way until you can see it. With practise, your foresight improves.

One option to start with would be to put \(\displaystyle \cos{(2x)}\) and \(\displaystyle \sin{(2x)}\) in terms of \(\displaystyle \cos{x}\) and \(\displaystyle \sin{x}\), respectively:

You should be familiar with the following identities
. . \(\displaystyle \L \cos{2x} = 2\cos^2{x} - 1\)

. . \(\displaystyle \L \sin{2x} = 2\sin{x}\cos{x}\)

So
. . \(\displaystyle \L \cos{2x} \cdot \cos{x} + \sin{2x} \cdot \sin{x}\)
becomes
. . \(\displaystyle \L (2\cos^2{x} - 1)\cos{x} \, + \, (2\sin{x}\cos{x}) \cdot \sin{x}\)
Simplify:
. . \(\displaystyle \L 2\cos^3{x} \, - \, \cos{x} \, + \, 2\sin^2{x}\cos{x}\)

See if you click onto the next step. (Give it a few minutes.)
 
There are several identities you can use.

\(\displaystyle cos2xcosx+sin2xsinx\)

\(\displaystyle cos2x=cos^{2}x-sin^{2}x\)

\(\displaystyle (cos^{2}x-sin^{2}x)cosx+2sinxcosxsinx\)

\(\displaystyle cos^{3}x-sin^{2}xcosx+2sin^{2}xcosx\)

\(\displaystyle cosx(cos^{2}x-sin^{2}x+2sin^{2}x)\)

\(\displaystyle cosx(cos^{2}x+sin^{2}x)\)

Now you should see something familiar in the parentheses.
 
Or an alternative
cos(a-b)=cos(a)cos(b)+sin(a)sin(b)
where a=2x and b=x
 
Thnak you for helping me

I was able to solve it by using the

cos(a-b)=cos(a)cos(b)+sin(a)sin(b)
where a=2x and b=x
method.
 
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