How do you prove #(Cot(x) - tan(x)) /( sin(x) cos(x)) = csc^2(x) - sec^2(x)#? Trigonometry Trigonometric Identities and Equations Proving Identities 1 Answer Bdub May 5, 2016 see below Explanation: Left Side:#=(cosx/sinx -sinx/cosx)/(sinxcosx)# #=((cos^2x-sin^2x)/(sinxcosx))/(sinxcosx)# #=(cos^2x-sin^2x)/(sinxcosx) xx 1/(sinxcosx)# #=(cos^2x-sin^2x)/(sin^2xcos^2x)# #=cos^2x/(sin^2xcos^2x) - sin^2x/(sin^2xcos^2x)# #=1/sin^2x - 1/cos^2x# #=csc^2x-sec^2x# #=# Right Side Answer link Related questions What does it mean to prove a trigonometric identity? How do you prove #\csc \theta \times \tan \theta = \sec \theta#? How do you prove #(1-\cos^2 x)(1+\cot^2 x) = 1#? How do you show that #2 \sin x \cos x = \sin 2x#? is true for #(5pi)/6#? How do you prove that #sec xcot x = csc x#? How do you prove that #cos 2x(1 + tan 2x) = 1#? How do you prove that #(2sinx)/[secx(cos4x-sin4x)]=tan2x#? How do you verify the identity: #-cotx =(sin3x+sinx)/(cos3x-cosx)#? How do you prove that #(tanx+cosx)/(1+sinx)=secx#? How do you prove the identity #(sinx - cosx)/(sinx + cosx) = (2sin^2x-1)/(1+2sinxcosx)#? See all questions in Proving Identities Impact of this question 13995 views around the world You can reuse this answer Creative Commons License