Revision notes

Addition formulas for sine, cosine and tangent

Addition formulas (provided)

\begin{align*} \sin (A \pm B) & = \sin A \cos B \pm \cos A \sin B \\ \cos (A \pm B) & = \cos A \cos B \mp \sin A \sin B \\ \tan (A \pm B) & = { \tan A \pm \tan B \over 1 \mp \tan A \tan B} \end{align*}

Special angles

$30^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 6}$ $45^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 4}$ $60^\circ \text{ or } {\pi \over 3}$
$\sin \theta$ $ \phantom{.} {1 \over 2} $ $ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{2}} $ $ \phantom{.} {\sqrt{3} \over 2} $
$\cos \theta$ $ \phantom{.} {\sqrt{3} \over 2} $ $ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{2}} $ $ \phantom{.} {1 \over 2} $
$\tan \theta$ $ \phantom{.} {1 \over \sqrt{3}} $ $ \phantom{.} 1 $ $ \phantom{.} \sqrt{3} $

Practice questions

Find trigonometric ratios using addition formulas

Find trigonometric ratio

1. Given that $ \sin (A + B) = {2 \over 5} $ and $ \sin A \cos B = {1 \over 10} $, find the value of

(i) $ \cos A \sin B $

Answer: $ {3 \over 10} $

Solutions

(ii) $ \sin (A - B) $

Answer: $ -{1 \over 5} $

Solutions

(iii) $ {\tan A \over \tan B} $

Answer: $ {1 \over 3} $

Solutions


2. $A$ and $B$ are angles in the same quadrant such that $\cos A = {4 \over 5}$ and $\sin B = -{1 \over 2}$. Without using a calculator and leaving your answer in the form $a + b \sqrt{3}$, where $a$ and $b$ are rational numbers, find the value of

(i) $ \sin \left(A + {\pi \over 3} \right)$

Answer: $ -{3 \over 10} + {2 \over 5} \sqrt{3} $

Solutions

(ii) $ \tan (A + B) $

Answer: $ -{48 \over 39} - {25 \over 39} \sqrt{3} $

Solutions

Use addition formulas to find exact values of special angles

3. Without using a calculator, express $\sin {\pi \over 12}$ in the form $ {\sqrt{a} - \sqrt{b} \over 4}$, where a and b are integers.

Answer: $ { \sqrt{6} - \sqrt{2} \over 4 } $

Solutions

Prove identities using addition formulas

4. Prove the identity $ { \sin (A - B) - \sin (A + B) \over \cos (A - B) - \cos (A + B) } = - \cot A $.

Solutions

Solve trigonometric equations using addition formulas

5. Solve the equation $ \cos (x + 60^\circ) = \cos x $ for $ 0^\circ \le x \le 360^\circ $.

Answer: $ 150^\circ, 330^\circ $

Solutions


6. Solve the equation $ 4 \sin 3x \cos x = 4 \cos 3x \sin x + 3 $ for $ 0^\circ \le x \le 360^\circ $.

Answer: $ 24.3^\circ, 65.7^\circ, 204.3^\circ, 245.7^\circ $

Solutions


O Level past year questions on addition formulas

Year & paper Comments
2024 P1 Question 3 Geometry problem
2022 P2 Question 5 Special angles
4049 Specimen P1 Question 8a Special angles
2020 P1 Question 12 Long question with multiple parts on Addition formula
2018 P1 Q2 Special angles (in context of angles in a triangle)
2014 P1 Question 2 Find trigonometric ratio
2010 P1 Question 10 Special angles (Link - Subscription required)
2009 P2 Question 1 Find trigonometric ratio


Trigonometry: Identities Trigonometry: Double angle formulas