How to solve for tan(x/2) if tanx = (-5/12)tanx=(512)?

1 Answer
Apr 22, 2015

The Half-angle formula for tantan is
tan(x/2) = (sin(x))/(1+cos(x))tan(x2)=sin(x)1+cos(x)

From the diagram for the possibilities for tan(x) = -5/12tan(x)=512:
enter image source here

color(red)( tan(x/2))tan(x2)

color(red)(=(5/13)/(1+(-12/13)))=5131+(1213)

color(red)(= 5)=5

or

color(blue)(tan(x/2))tan(x2)

color(blue)(=(-5/13)/(1+12/13))=5131+1213

color(blue)(=-1/5)=15