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Reciprocal & Quotient Identities

The following trigonometric ratios are known as reciprocal identities:


sin⁡θ=1csc⁡θcos⁡θ=1sec⁡θtan⁡θ=1cot⁡θ\begin{array}{ccc} \sin{\theta}=\displaystyle\frac{1}{\csc\theta}&&&\cos{\theta}=\displaystyle\frac{1}{\sec\theta}&&&\tan{\theta}=\displaystyle\frac{1}{\cot{\theta}} \end{array}


Example

If sin⁡θ=12\sin\theta=\displaystyle\frac{1}{2}, then csc⁡θ=2\csc{\theta}=2.

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The following trigonometric ratios are known as quotient identities:

tan⁡θ=sin⁡θcos⁡θcot⁡θ=cos⁡θsin⁡θ\begin{array}{ccc} \tan{\theta}=\displaystyle\frac{\sin\theta}{\cos{\theta}}&&&\cot{\theta}=\displaystyle\frac{\cos\theta}{\sin\theta} \end{array}


Example

Express sin⁡3xcos⁡3x\displaystyle\frac{\sin3x}{\cos3x} as a single trigonometric function.


sin⁡3xcos⁡3x=tan⁡3x\displaystyle\frac{\sin3x}{\cos3x}=\tan3x
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Example: Reciprocal & Quotient Identities


Simplify csc⁡θ−sin⁡θ\csc\theta-\sin\thetainto one trigonometric ratio.


csc⁡θ−sin⁡θ=1sin⁡θ−sin⁡θReciprocal Identity=1−sin⁡2θsin⁡θ\begin{array}{rcl} \csc\theta-\sin\theta&=&\displaystyle\frac{1}{\sin\theta}-\sin\theta&&\footnotesize{\color{orange}\text{Reciprocal Identity}}\\\\ &=&\displaystyle\frac{1-\sin^{2}\theta}{\sin\theta} \end{array}

Practice: Reciprocal & Quotient Identities

Which of the following is equivalent to tan⁡θcsc⁡θ\displaystyle\frac{\tan\theta}{\csc\theta}?

Practice: Reciprocal & Quotient Identities

True or false: tan⁡θcos⁡2θsec⁡θ=sin⁡θ\displaystyle\frac{\tan\theta\cos^{2}\theta}{\sec\theta}=\sin\theta.

Practice: Reciprocal & Quotient Identities

Simplify tan⁡θcos⁡θ3sec⁡θcot⁡θ\displaystyle\frac{\tan\theta\cos\theta}{3\sec\theta\cot\theta}.
Extra Practice