(c) (4cos^2 (9 deg) - 3)(4cos^2 (27 deg) - 3) = tan 9 deg

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Published July 21, 2025
Mathematics, Trigonometry, Angle-transformations
Mathematics, Trigonometry, Triple-angle identities
Mathematics, Algebraic manipulation
IIT-JEE

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Detailed Explanation

1. Triple-Angle Identity Refresher

For any angle θ\theta:

cos⁡(3θ)=4cos⁡3θ−3cos⁡θ\cos(3\theta) = 4\cos^3\theta - 3\cos\theta

Divide both sides by cos⁡θ (≠0)\cos\theta \,(\neq 0) to get a very handy form:

4cos⁡2θ−3=cos⁡(3θ)cos⁡θ4\cos^2\theta - 3 = \frac{\cos(3\theta)}{\cos\theta}

2. Apply the Identity to Each Factor

  • First factor (θ=9°\theta = 9°): 4cos⁡2(9°)−3=cos⁡(27°)cos⁡(9°)4\cos^2(9°) - 3 = \frac{\cos(27°)}{\cos(9°)}
  • Second factor (θ=27°\theta = 27°): 4cos⁡2(27°)−3=cos⁡(81°)cos⁡(27°)4\cos^2(27°) - 3 = \frac{\cos(81°)}{\cos(27°)}

3. Multiply the Two Factors

(4cos⁡29°−3) ⁣(4cos⁡227°−3)=cos⁡27°cos⁡9°  ×  cos⁡81°cos⁡27°\left(4\cos^2 9° - 3\right)\!\left(4\cos^2 27° - 3\right) = \frac{\cos 27°}{\cos 9°}\;\times\;\frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 27°}

Notice cos⁡27°\cos 27° cancels out:

=cos⁡81°cos⁡9°= \frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 9°}

4. Convert cos⁡81°\cos 81°

Because 81°=90°−9°81° = 90° - 9° we know:

cos⁡81°=sin⁡9°\cos 81° = \sin 9°

Hence

cos⁡81°cos⁡9°=sin⁡9°cos⁡9°=tan⁡9°\frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 9°} = \frac{\sin 9°}{\cos 9°} = \tan 9°

Exactly what we had to show!

Simple Explanation (ELI5)

Think of Trigonometry Like Lego Blocks 🧩

  1. Big Lego Rule (Triple-Angle Rule)
    If you stack three small angles to make a bigger one, their cosines follow a rule: cos⁡(3θ)=4cos⁡3θ−3cos⁡θ\cos(3\theta) = 4\cos^3\theta - 3\cos\theta

  2. What We Are Asked To Show
    We have two funny blocks:

    • Block-A → 4cos⁡2(9°)−34\cos^2(9°)-3
    • Block-B → 4cos⁡2(27°)−34\cos^2(27°)-3 We must prove that putting Block-A and Block-B together (multiplying) magically gives tan⁡(9°)\tan(9°).
  3. Idea in One Line
    Turn each block into a simpler form using the Big Lego Rule, cancel the matching pieces, and you will be left with sine over cosine, which is exactly tan.

That’s all! 🙂

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Step-by-Step Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

  1. Use the triple-angle identity

    cos⁡(3θ)=4cos⁡3θ−3cos⁡θ\cos(3\theta) = 4\cos^3\theta - 3\cos\theta

    Divide both sides by cos⁡θ\cos\theta:

    4cos⁡2θ−3=cos⁡(3θ)cos⁡θ4\cos^2\theta - 3 = \frac{\cos(3\theta)}{\cos\theta}

  2. Rewrite each factor

    • For θ=9°\theta = 9°:

      4cos⁡29°−3=cos⁡27°cos⁡9°4\cos^2 9° - 3 = \frac{\cos 27°}{\cos 9°}

    • For θ=27°\theta = 27°:

      4cos⁡227°−3=cos⁡81°cos⁡27°4\cos^2 27° - 3 = \frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 27°}

  3. Multiply the factors

    (4cos⁡29°−3)(4cos⁡227°−3)=(cos⁡27°cos⁡9°)(cos⁡81°cos⁡27°)\left(4\cos^2 9° - 3\right)\left(4\cos^2 27° - 3\right) = \left(\frac{\cos 27°}{\cos 9°}\right)\left(\frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 27°}\right)

    Cancel cos⁡27°\cos 27°:

    =cos⁡81°cos⁡9°= \frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 9°}

  4. Convert cos⁡81°\cos 81° to sin⁡9°\sin 9°

    cos⁡81°=cos⁡(90°−9°)=sin⁡9°\cos 81° = \cos(90° - 9°) = \sin 9°

    Hence

    cos⁡81°cos⁡9°=sin⁡9°cos⁡9°=tan⁡9°\frac{\cos 81°}{\cos 9°} = \frac{\sin 9°}{\cos 9°} = \tan 9°

  5. Conclusion

    (4cos⁡29°−3)(4cos⁡227°−3)=tan⁡9°\boxed{\left(4\cos^2 9° - 3\right)\left(4\cos^2 27° - 3\right) = \tan 9°}

Examples

Example 1

Radio engineers converting between cosine and sine signals using co-function identities.

Example 2

Deriving tan(1°), tan(3°), etc., in exact form by repeated triple-angle manipulation.

Example 3

Optics: relating angles of incidence and refraction when small angle approximations fail.

Example 4

Computer graphics: converting rotation matrices that involve 3θ to simpler θ expressions.

Visual Representation

References

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