Derivation that sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y), cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y), sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y)

) - cos(x) sin(y), cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y), sin(2x) = 2sin(x) cos(x), and cos(2x) = cos2(x) sin2(x).

Let us begin with two right triangles stacked on top of each other, the first with angle x and the second with angle y. The vertices have been labeled.

y x

Next, we draw a line from D down to the segment AB and then draw a line from C to that line. Also, we shall label the new vertices created. They appear in red.

E F y x G

D x E x F y x G

From Geometry, we know that angle FCE is also equal to x. That means that angle ECD is equal to 90 - x, which in turn makes angle CDE equal to x (because triangle DEC C is a right triangle.) These are labeled in the next picture.

Now, we want to find

DG AG , for that will be sin(x + y). Likewise, will be cos(x + y). AD AD DG EG + DE EG DE CB DE = + = + = . AD AD AD AD AD AD

To determine sin(x + y), notice that

(We have used the fact that EG is equal to CB.) The magic happens when we multiply the first term by

AC CD and the second term by . AC CD We do this so that we can relate the lengths CB and DE to things that we already known, namely sin(x), sin(y), cos(x) and cos(y).
Do this, we get the following:

CB AC DE CD + . AD AC AD CD

Rewriting, we get

CB AC DE CD + , which is precisely sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y). AC AD CD AD

And so, sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y).

For cos(x + y), notice that

AG AB BG AB BG AB CE = = = . AD AD AD AD AD AD

(Similar to above, we used the fact that BG is the same thing as EC.) Just as before, we multiply the first term by

AC CD and the second term by . AC CD

This gives us the following:

AB AC CE CD . AD AC AD CD

Rewriting, we get

AB AC CE CD , which is precisely cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y). AC AD CD AD

And so, cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) sin(x) sin(y).

Note: there was no mention of triangle ECF in solving for sin(x + y) or cos(x + y). Rather, it was only used to determine that angle CDE was equal to x.

Now, from the above, we can show (rather easily) that sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y) - cos(x) sin(y) and that cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y). Recall that sin(x) is an odd function, ie sin(-x) = -sin(x) and that cos(x) is an even function, ie cos(-x) = cos(x). Using that fact, we can see that

sin( x y ) = sin( x + ( y )) = sin( x) cos( y ) + cos( x) sin( y ) = sin( x) cos( y ) cos( x) sin( y ) And so, we have shown that sin(x - y) = sin(x) cos(y) - cos(x) sin(y).

For cos(x - y), we do something similar. cos( x y ) = cos( x + ( y )) = cos( x) cos( y ) sin( x) sin( y ) = cos( x) cos( y ) + sin( x) sin( y ) And so, we have shown that cos(x - y) = cos(x) cos(y) + sin(x) sin(y).

To show sin(2x) = 2sin(x) cos(x), simply use sin(x + y) = sin(x) cos(y) + cos(x) sin(y) but set y = x. sin(2 x) = sin( x + x) = sin( x) cos( x) + cos( x) sin( x) = 2 sin( x) cos( x)

To show cos(2x) = cos2(x) sin2(x), simply use cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) - sin(x) sin(y) but set y = x.
cos(2 x) = cos( x + x) = cos( x) cos( x) sin( x) sin( x) = cos 2 ( x) sin 2 ( x)