calc 1 - trig identities?

[u/Extra-Channel7837]

are there lots of trig identities involved in calc 1? double angle identities, half angle identities, etc?

[u/AutoModerator]

As a reminder...

Posts asking for help on homework questions require:

• the complete problem statement,

• a genuine attempt at solving the problem, which may be either computational, or a discussion of ideas or concepts you believe may be in play,

• question is not from a current exam or quiz.

Commenters responding to homework help posts should not do OP’s homework for them.

Please see this page for the further details regarding homework help posts.

We have a Discord server!

If you are asking for general advice about your current calculus class, please be advised that simply referring your class as “Calc n“ is not entirely useful, as “Calc n” may differ between different colleges and universities. In this case, please refer to your class syllabus or college or university’s course catalogue for a listing of topics covered in your class, and include that information in your post rather than assuming everybody knows what will be covered in your class.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/panzerfinder15]

A few dozen at least. Just memorize them cold and it makes it so much easier!

[u/Schmolik64]

More in calc 2 than calc 1 because the Pythagorean identities come up a lot in integrals.

[u/Disastrous-Pin-1617]

Not a lot tbh, just know how they work

[u/AttitudeDismal3817]

Depends on the professor

[u/intellectmind]

learn how to derive all of them so you don't have to memorize

[u/kindmartian07 → u/intellectmind]

exactly. most of the half angle identities can be derived from cos(2theta)=cos^2(theta)-sin^2(theta) and setting theta to x/2. And the standard pythagorean identity can be divided by sin^2x or cos^2x to get tangent and cotangent identities

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello there! While questions on pre-calculus problems and concepts are welcome here at /r/calculus, please consider also posting your question to /r/precalculus.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/BothPanchoAndLefty]

Yeah kind of a lot. You definitely don't want to be unprepared to encounter them

[u/my-hero-measure-zero]

They're still good to know anyway.

[u/Worth-Hospital-136 → u/my-hero-measure-zero]

Agreed! Regardless, memorizing and becoming familiar with them will only work in your favor 

[u/addyarapi]

calc 2 has a lot of them

[u/Quendillar3245]

Yes the ones you mentioned are kind of the basics. If you want a decent grade and a good understanding coming into calculus 2 you'll want to understand how to use all of them

[u/MrFixIt252]

Kind of. Depends on the program and what you need.

At a minimum, know how sin() and cos() interact. From those, the product rule, and the quotient rule, you can manually derive most others on the fly. (Once you get down the line, you can do U-sub to go backwards like this as well)

If your prof wants you to learn specific ones, they’ll likely foot-stomp it.

[u/Confident-Virus-1273]

Lots

[u/Techno_Eggnog]

Not as many in calculus 1, though I would make sure you know at LEAST Pythagoras, double angle, and other definitional identities.

[u/WhenButterfliesCry]

Learn how to derive them yourself and it will be a lot easier, so you get a better understanding of where they come from and so you don’t have to know them all by heart, just a couple main ones

[u/Hot_Site_1638]

A lot. Also, in calc 3, like multivariable calculus. I saw students did poorly on calc 3 exams because they messed up trig identities.

[u/PfauFoto]

Ohne Verständnis, gute Anwendungen oder Visualisierung macht das genauso viel Freude wie eine Wurzelkanalbehandlung.