Addition Formula for Cotangent

jenn9580

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Jan 10, 2007
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According to the addition formulas, tan(A - B) = [tanA - tanB] /[1 + tanA tanB]

What is the formula for cot(A - B)?

I am totally overthinking it & have now confused myself! Thanks!
 
Using the fact that cot(x)=1/tan(x) and the one you wrote,

\(\displaystyle \L \cot(A-B) = \frac{1}{\tan(A-B)}
= \frac{1}{\frac{\tan(A) - \tan(B)}{1+\tan(A) \tan(B)}}
= \frac{1+\tan(A) \tan(B)}{\tan(A) - \tan(B)}\)

It is desirable to express this in terms of cot(A) and cot(B),

\(\displaystyle \L = \frac{1+\frac{1}{\cot(A)} \frac{1}{\cot(B)}}{\frac{1}{\cot(A)} - \frac{1}{\cot(B)}}=?\)

You get it after simplifying.
 
thanks. i went about it the wrong way. the cot wasn't covered in my text so I came here to find some help.
 
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