Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Trigonometric Identities
Trigonometric identities are equations that involve trigonometric functions and are true for all values of the variables involved. They are essential for simplifying expressions and solving trigonometric equations. Common identities include the Pythagorean identities, angle sum and difference identities, and double angle identities, which can help relate different angles and their corresponding trigonometric values.
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Angle Sum and Difference Identities
The angle sum and difference identities express the sine, cosine, and tangent of the sum or difference of two angles in terms of the sine and cosine of the individual angles. For example, cos(a ± b) = cos(a)cos(b) ∓ sin(a)sin(b). These identities are particularly useful for calculating the cosine of angles that are not standard angles, such as 75°, by breaking them down into sums or differences of known angles.
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Reference Angles
Reference angles are the acute angles formed by the terminal side of an angle and the x-axis. They help in determining the values of trigonometric functions for angles greater than 90° or less than 0°. Understanding reference angles is crucial for evaluating trigonometric functions in different quadrants and can simplify the process of finding equivalent expressions for angles like 75°.
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