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If θ is an acute angle, find the denominator D, when (cotθ−cosecθ)2=D1−cosθ
1+sinθ
−sinθ−1
−1−cosθ
1+cosθ
1+cosθ
Convert all terms into sine and cosine ratios, simplify the numerator and denominator using standard trigonometric identities, and equate the resulting fraction to match the target form.
Expression: (cotθ−cscθ)2=D1−cosθ, where θ is an acute angle.
cotθ=sinθcosθ,cscθ=sinθ1,sin2θ+cos2θ=1
Convert all terms into sine and cosine ratios, simplify the numerator and denominator using standard trigonometric identities, and equate the resulting fraction to match the target form.
Confusing the sign of the denominator or incorrectly expanding (cosθ−1)2 as (1−cosθ)2 without keeping track of the denominator term.
Step 1: Express in terms of sine and cosine
Substitute cotθ=sinθcosθ and cscθ=sinθ1 into the given expression.
(cotθ−cscθ)2=(sinθcosθ−sinθ1)2=(sinθcosθ−1)2
Step 2: Square numerator and denominator
Apply the square to both numerator and denominator, noting that (cosθ−1)2=(1−cosθ)2.
=sin2θ(cosθ−1)2=sin2θ(1−cosθ)2
Step 3: Use fundamental trigonometric identity
Replace sin2θ with 1−cos2θ in the denominator using the identity sin2θ+cos2θ=1.
=1−cos2θ(1−cosθ)2
Step 4: Factor the denominator and simplify
Factor the denominator 1−cos2θ as (1−cosθ)(1+cosθ) and cancel out the common term (1−cosθ).
=(1−cosθ)(1+cosθ)(1−cosθ)2=1+cosθ1−cosθ
Step 5: Identify denominator D
Comparing the simplified expression 1+cosθ1−cosθ with the given form D1−cosθ, we get D=1+cosθ.
D=1+cosθ
D is correct because simplifying (cotθ−cscθ)2 results in 1+cosθ1−cosθ, matching the form D1−cosθ with denominator D=1+cosθ.
Similar trigonometric manipulations frequently appear in height and distance problems as