Math

QuestionSimplify 1cosxcosx=\frac{1}{\cos x} - \cos x =

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

Assumptions1. The variable x is a real number. . The cosine function, denoted as cos(x), is a function that takes a real number x (an angle in radians) and returns the cosine of that angle.

STEP 2

The given expression is a difference of two terms 1cosx\frac{1}{\cos x} and cosx\cos x. To simplify such expressions, we often look for common denominators.

STEP 3

To find a common denominator, we can rewrite cosx\cos x as cosx1\frac{\cos x}{1}.
1cosxcosx1\frac{1}{\cos x}-\frac{\cos x}{1}

STEP 4

The common denominator of these two fractions is cosx\cos x. We can rewrite each fraction with cosx\cos x as the denominator.
1cosxcosxcosxcosx\frac{1}{\cos x}-\frac{\cos x \cdot \cos x}{\cos x}

STEP 5

implify the second fraction.
1cosxcos2xcosx\frac{1}{\cos x}-\frac{\cos^2 x}{\cos x}

STEP 6

Now that the two fractions have the same denominator, we can combine them into a single fraction.
1cos2xcosx\frac{1-\cos^2 x}{\cos x}

STEP 7

Recognize that 1cos2x1-\cos^2 x is a Pythagorean identity and can be replaced with sin2x\sin^2 x.
sin2xcosx\frac{\sin^2 x}{\cos x}

STEP 8

The expression is now simplified. The final simplified form of the given expression is sin2xcosx\frac{\sin^2 x}{\cos x}.

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