There is a pattern which is quite common:
\(\sin 0^\circ=\dfrac{\sqrt{0}}{2}, \sin 30^\circ=\dfrac{\sqrt{1}}{2}, \sin 45^\circ=\dfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2}, \sin 60^\circ=\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}, \sin 90^\circ=\dfrac{\sqrt{4}}{2}\)
This pattern is useful because it helps us to memorize the trig functions of the main angles. However, when we start to look for the sine of some angles like 15∘ or 67.5∘, we may struggle for some time. However, there is a beautiful pattern:
sin0∘=212−4sin15∘=212−3sin22.5∘=212−2sin30∘=212−1sin45∘=212±0sin60∘=212+1sin67.5∘=212+2sin75∘=212+3sin90∘=212+4
That's amazing, isn't it? But I want to tell you, there's a reason behind. I'll show you that.
Firstly, from the first pattern, we know that:
cos0∘=24cos30∘=23cos45∘=22cos60∘=21cos90∘=20cos120∘=−21cos135∘=−22cos150∘=−23cos180∘=−24
Then, we'll use the half-angle formulasin22θ=21−cosθ
∵0∘≤θ≤180∘→0∘≤2θ≤90∘∴sin2θ=21−cosθ≥0The cosθ we want are all in the form ±2n where n=0,1,2,3,4sin2θ=21∓2n=42∓n=212∓n
Therefore, we get the the result below:
sin0∘=sin21(0∘)=212−4sin15∘=sin21(30∘)=212−3sin22.5∘=sin21(45∘)=212−2sin30∘=sin21(60∘)=212−1sin45∘=sin21(90∘)=212∓0sin60∘=sin21(120∘)=212+1sin67.5∘=sin21(135∘)=212+2sin75∘=sin21(150∘)=212+3sin90∘=sin21(180∘)=212+4
I am so proud of myself that I can prove this beautiful pattern! (I first found this pattern when I see this) I hope it will help you guys when you are doing some work about trigonometry.
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But why the cos function follows that pattern?
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I could only say, Mathematics is beautiful. It is just concidence
Really good and thanks for sharing this.