Proving $cos^5(a)=cos(a)-2sin^2(a)cos(a)$, using only Pythagorean identities












0












$begingroup$


I came across a problem which said prove using only Pythagorean Identities and I got stumped. Some Insight would be helpful.



$$cos^5(a)=cos(a)-2sin^2(a)cos(a)$$



What I first did was factor the right side and used the main pythagorean identity to try and simplify but I don't really think it got me anywhere. My final step somehow got me to;



$$cos^2(a)-sin^2(a)=cos^4(a)$$



Where do I go from there or what could I have done differently in the start?










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$endgroup$








  • 8




    $begingroup$
    The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:55










  • $begingroup$
    the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
    $endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jan 3 at 1:56










  • $begingroup$
    So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
    $endgroup$
    – Savvas Nicolaou
    Jan 3 at 1:57










  • $begingroup$
    Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:58






  • 7




    $begingroup$
    If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 2:05
















0












$begingroup$


I came across a problem which said prove using only Pythagorean Identities and I got stumped. Some Insight would be helpful.



$$cos^5(a)=cos(a)-2sin^2(a)cos(a)$$



What I first did was factor the right side and used the main pythagorean identity to try and simplify but I don't really think it got me anywhere. My final step somehow got me to;



$$cos^2(a)-sin^2(a)=cos^4(a)$$



Where do I go from there or what could I have done differently in the start?










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 8




    $begingroup$
    The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:55










  • $begingroup$
    the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
    $endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jan 3 at 1:56










  • $begingroup$
    So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
    $endgroup$
    – Savvas Nicolaou
    Jan 3 at 1:57










  • $begingroup$
    Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:58






  • 7




    $begingroup$
    If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 2:05














0












0








0





$begingroup$


I came across a problem which said prove using only Pythagorean Identities and I got stumped. Some Insight would be helpful.



$$cos^5(a)=cos(a)-2sin^2(a)cos(a)$$



What I first did was factor the right side and used the main pythagorean identity to try and simplify but I don't really think it got me anywhere. My final step somehow got me to;



$$cos^2(a)-sin^2(a)=cos^4(a)$$



Where do I go from there or what could I have done differently in the start?










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$




I came across a problem which said prove using only Pythagorean Identities and I got stumped. Some Insight would be helpful.



$$cos^5(a)=cos(a)-2sin^2(a)cos(a)$$



What I first did was factor the right side and used the main pythagorean identity to try and simplify but I don't really think it got me anywhere. My final step somehow got me to;



$$cos^2(a)-sin^2(a)=cos^4(a)$$



Where do I go from there or what could I have done differently in the start?







trigonometry






share|cite|improve this question















share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question








edited Jan 3 at 1:52









Blue

48.8k870156




48.8k870156










asked Jan 3 at 1:48









Savvas NicolaouSavvas Nicolaou

867




867








  • 8




    $begingroup$
    The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:55










  • $begingroup$
    the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
    $endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jan 3 at 1:56










  • $begingroup$
    So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
    $endgroup$
    – Savvas Nicolaou
    Jan 3 at 1:57










  • $begingroup$
    Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:58






  • 7




    $begingroup$
    If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 2:05














  • 8




    $begingroup$
    The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:55










  • $begingroup$
    the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
    $endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Jan 3 at 1:56










  • $begingroup$
    So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
    $endgroup$
    – Savvas Nicolaou
    Jan 3 at 1:57










  • $begingroup$
    Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 1:58






  • 7




    $begingroup$
    If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
    $endgroup$
    – Blue
    Jan 3 at 2:05








8




8




$begingroup$
The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 1:55




$begingroup$
The relation doesn't hold for, say, $a = 45^circ$. (The right-hand side vanishes, but the left-hand side does not.)
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 1:55












$begingroup$
the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
$endgroup$
– Will Jagy
Jan 3 at 1:56




$begingroup$
the thing you wish to prove is false. Let $a = pi/4,$ so that $cos a = sin a = 1/sqrt 2,$ especially $2 sin^2 a = 1$
$endgroup$
– Will Jagy
Jan 3 at 1:56












$begingroup$
So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
$endgroup$
– Savvas Nicolaou
Jan 3 at 1:57




$begingroup$
So, If the book say's prove, It can be unprovable? A bit of a useless problem. Perhaps there is a typo.
$endgroup$
– Savvas Nicolaou
Jan 3 at 1:57












$begingroup$
Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 1:58




$begingroup$
Are you being asked to prove that the equation holds for all $a$, or to solve it for values of $a$ that work?
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 1:58




7




7




$begingroup$
If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 2:05




$begingroup$
If you were being asked to solve, then replacing $sin^2a$ with $1-cos^2a$ would allow you to rearrange and factor, getting this equation $$cos a,left(1-cos aright)^2left(1+cos aright)^2 = 0$$ From this, we can deduce that the relation only holds for integer multiples of $90^circ$.
$endgroup$
– Blue
Jan 3 at 2:05










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