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Exercise 12.1 · Q17

Q.lim⁡x→0cos⁡2x−1cos⁡x−1\lim_{x\to 0}\dfrac{\cos 2x - 1}{\cos x - 1}

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This is a 00\dfrac{0}{0} form. Use the identity cos⁡2x=2cos⁡2x−1\cos 2x=2\cos^2 x-1 to rewrite the numerator, factor it as 2(cos⁡x−1)(cos⁡x+1)2(\cos x-1)(\cos x+1), cancel (cos⁡x−1)(\cos x-1), and substitute to get 44.

Why an identity is the key

At x=0x=0, cos⁡0=1\cos 0=1, so the numerator =1−1=0=1-1=0 and the denominator =1−1=0=1-1=0: the indeterminate form 00\dfrac{0}{0}. We rewrite cos⁡2x\cos 2x in terms of cos⁡x\cos x so that the same factor (cos⁡x−1)(\cos x-1) appears on top and bottom.

Step 1 — Rewrite the numerator. Using cos⁡2x=2cos⁡2x−1\cos 2x=2\cos^2 x-1,

cos⁡2x−1=(2cos⁡2x−1)−1=2cos⁡2x−2=2(cos⁡2x−1).\cos 2x-1=(2\cos^2 x-1)-1=2\cos^2 x-2=2(\cos^2 x-1).

Step 2 — Factor as a difference of squares.

2(cos⁡2x−1)=2(cos⁡x−1)(cos⁡x+1).2(\cos^2 x-1)=2(\cos x-1)(\cos x+1).

Step 3 — Cancel the common factor. For x≠0x\neq 0, cos⁡x−1≠0\cos x-1\neq 0, so …

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