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5.4 · Q72

Q.Prove by vector method that sin⁡(α+β)=sin⁡αcos⁡β+cos⁡αsin⁡β\sin(\alpha+\beta)=\sin\alpha\cos\beta+\cos\alpha\sin\beta.

Maharashtra MsbshseTextbookSubjectiveImportance★★★★★
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Consider three unit vectors in the XY-plane, drawn from the origin: u^=cos⁡α i^+sin⁡α j^\hat u=\cos\alpha\,\hat i+\sin\alpha\,\hat j at angle α\alpha from the X-axis, v^=cos⁡β i^−sin⁡β j^\hat v=\cos\beta\,\hat i-\sin\beta\,\hat j at angle −β-\beta, and

consider w^=cos⁡(α+β)i^+sin⁡(α+β)j^\hat w=\cos(\alpha+\beta)\hat i+\sin(\alpha+\beta)\hat j at angle α+β\alpha+\beta from v^\hat v's

own axis... Instead, take u^\hat u at angle α\alpha and v^′=cos⁡β i^+sin⁡β j^\hat v'=\cos\beta\,\hat i+\sin\beta\,\hat j at

angle β\beta, both from the X-axis, so the angle between u^\hat u and v^′\hat v', measured from u^\hat u to

v^′\hat v' going further round, is such that the vector at angle α+β\alpha+\beta, namely w^=cos⁡(α+β)i^+sin⁡(α+β)j^\hat w=\cos(\alpha+\beta)\hat i+\sin(\alpha+\beta)\hat j, is what we build directly from u^,v^′\hat u,\hat v' using

the cross product's component form:

u^×v^′=(cos⁡α i^+sin⁡α j^)×(cos⁡β i^+sin⁡β j^)=(cos⁡αsin⁡β−sin⁡αcos⁡β)k^\hat u\times\hat v'=(\cos\alpha\,\hat i+\sin\alpha\,\hat j)\times(\cos\beta\,\hat i+\sin\beta\,\hat j)=(\cos\alpha\sin\beta-\sin\alpha\cos\beta)\hat k

(using i^×i^=j^×j^=0ˉ, i^×j^=k^, j^×i^=−k^\hat i\times\hat i=\hat j\times\hat j=\bar0,\ \hat i\times\hat j=\hat k,\ \hat j\times\hat i=-\hat k). Also, by the definition of the cross product, ∣u^×v^′∣=∣u^∣∣v^′∣sin⁡(β−α)=sin⁡(β−α)|\hat u\times\hat v'|=|\hat u||\hat v'|\sin(\beta-\alpha) =\sin(\beta-\alpha) (the angle from u^\hat u to v^′\hat v' is β−α\beta-\alpha). Comparing signs and magnitude, …

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